Ledaig 18-year-old

Very fine whisky, you understand straight when you open the bottle and smell the cork. Just beutifull interaction between bourbon , sherry and smoke.

"Mint Chocolate on the Roadway" Rubber, fuel oil, glue, smoldering sawdust, roasted seeds, mustard, red pepper, black pepper, menthol, dark chocolate, cream, prunes, black currants. Earthy and restrained.

Great on nose and plate.

After the great 14y Amontillado CS, I was hoping for another highlight. But he can't get to the one just mentioned. Less flavor, less complex. Not bad but I thought the 14er was much better

Another item that jumps in as "buy me". Something wonderful, tasty and fully polished. The whisky is delicate and pleasantly lingers with its flavors in the throat. mi Lagavulin therefore immediately becomes a must for me!

2/1/2/2

Not heavily peated but a lot of sherry notes and probably also slightly sulphury

Yet another great Ledaig OB bottling.!

A creamier and farmier Ardbeg Wee Beastie. 86. Let it breathe and stewed stone fruits show up. 87. Let it breathe some more and the fruits get nice and tart. 88.

On nose getting old wood, rubber, damp moss, leaves, leather and antique furniture. On the palate with boiled sweets, peaty smoky, peach, apricots oriental tea, burnt orange. More complex than the 10. Time in cask provides well matured tasty refined flavours.

2020 Rating

A very well-balanced Ledaig. I particularly like the combination of sherry sweetness, spice, and subtle smoke. Robust, full of character, yet very pleasant to drink.

A little more complex and fruity with water. Great aroma with a dirty smoky note that clearly stands out from Islay.

I don't know what to make of it. It's interesting, but to be honest, it's not a pleasure for me in that sense. The nose rather scares me off. Mouth and finish then reconcile a little in the end. I call it whisky full of character, a character that I don't really like.

It’s not as aggressive as Laphroaig or Ardbeg, but it still has that bold, maritime character. The downside? Some batches can be a little inconsistent. But when it’s good, it’s really good.

A bright sherry-sweet core of flavour and a confident finish with a trail of soft, light smoke - a classy, colourful islander, perhaps only predictable in its one-sidedness.

Nose: Crème brulée with brown sugar, red fruits (apple, berries), brackish (machine oil), embers, some ham and some anise, light smoke Palate: creamy and full, red fruits (berries, cherries, apples), crème brulée with brown sugar, somewhat brackish (machine oil), embers and ash, some anise Finish: warm, medium-long, red fruits, crème brulée, somewhat brackish, some ash and smoke, some anise Rating: I like! Crème brulée, red fruits and brackish in one; not perfectly balanced, but not boring for a second, smoke and anise give it that certain something - I really like it.

2021-04-13: I liked the predecessor WID: 93480 better

(Tasted 13.10.2021, quick notes) Nose: Rich, oily, medium. Taste: Sweet and juicy, medium black pepper. Finish: Overall: Juicier but less oily and dirty than batch #3 (?).

The nose really set the bar, and while it’s not unusual to see the palate not living up to expectations, in this case it more than delivered in my opinion. A big, powerful whisky, but rather than acting like a bull in a china shop, it’s also very benign. The BFG of whiskies? In any case, this is quality stuff!

Dark amber color, even with ruby accents. The whisky is quite dense and oily in its structure.

Ledaig 18YO Category: Single Malt Manufacturer and bottler: Tobermory Distillery (Distell) Region: Isle of Mull Fortress: 46.3% Volume: 700 ml The date of bottling: ? Barrel type: Ex-Bourbon Casks + Sherry Cask Finish Min. exposure: 18 years Filtering: no Dye: none Excellent, beautiful nose of a mature aged peaty whisky with a rich sherry cut. Like its 10-year-old predecessor, in addition to restrained fire smoke motifs, it initially “gives out” sweet notes as well: milk chocolate with brown raisins, dried cherries and chili peppers, fruit tobacco, dried apricots and their pits, baked apples, pears and oranges, toffee, sherbet, blueberry and blackberry jam. Then it begins to “smoke” more strongly, and the tones of soot, wax, polishes, rich dressed leather, and wool “come out”. With oxidation, the smoke subsides and nuances of sea salt water, iodine (but not as bright as in the younger version), dry branches, herbs (thyme seemed to be), vanilla, ground black pepper and ginger appear. There is not so much sweetness in the taste as in the aroma, it is perfectly balanced and very versatile: in addition to various shades of burntness, pepper, ginger, iodine, there are sour shades of cherries, black currants, citrus fruits, dried apples, as well as sweet raisins, wild berry pies , chocolate, toffee. It is relatively easy to drink (but still denser than a 10) and at the same time it does not get boring, you constantly find something new. Aftertaste. Extremely lengthy. Cinder, blackcurrant grated with sugar, raisins, ginger. Summary. Well, this is, if not a masterpiece in the world of peaty whisky, then, in any case, close to it. It has everything that one would expect from a smoky style whisky, while the features of sherry aging do not interrupt the nuances of bourbon casks, but harmoniously complement and decorate the latter. Rating: 89 out of 100.

Simple and no frills. A solid, lightly peated dram that's fun. It's not just Islay that can produce peated malts.

86 Salty rubbery smoky smell that lasts for a long time More satisfaction from the aftertaste rather than the taste The second time I drink it, the salty peat and savory taste are good. It's also delicious.

https://whiskylovingpianist.wordpress.com/2024/12/08/oswas-2024-rd-part-2-2/ N: Very sherried, less sulphury rubber, more of a vinegary funk uncannily reminiscent of Campbeltown Loch. Oscillating on the tight ropes of sweet & savoury~sour, bizarrely enough, I’m getting – before I consult my notes of an earlier Ledaig 18 – [Kallo beetroot flavoured] vegetable crisps on the nose whereas I see I had that down on the palate back in 2018 [WLP286]. T: Vegetal peatiness with sweet sherry  – is it still mainly oloroso? – works nicely and chews well enough, but with a bottle getting on for £100 [though you can find it up far cheaper if you look], is ‘nice’ enough? At the face of a dry furnace, we get a fruit juice burst with quite some bitterness. I think it’s the peat and then heavy char rubbing against seasoned sherry that I’m at odds with. F: My first-contact observation some nine years ago – ‘rubbery struck match’ – isn’t far off, but today I find this contemporary batch more about the cask-fed juicy fruitiness with ash and a little tobacco. With caramel and tar at the death, culinary-speaking, I find it a little off-kilter. C: Ledaig 18 remains a decent single malt though batches [continue to] vary enough to warrant a try-before-you-buy warning.

Aroma - juicy red sherry fruits covered in peat and ash. Taste - sweet, fruity, old dusty ashy peat, ethanoly sherry fruits with a sweet ashy finish. Don't like dusty, ethanoly notes of these one

Tried from a 2cl sample

This was a sample courtesy of Peatbogger. The balance wasn't there for me but I still enjoyed it. I had a Cooper's Choice version of this which was far superior.

Older peated whiskies are not necessarily better than their raw and spirit-driven counterparts - they are different. That said, there is a lot to discover in this 18-year-old Ledaig. On the nose, sooty and slightly sour peatiness hovers over dry sherry notes, including red currants, leather and walnuts. Initially sweet and oily, the taste explodes with a punch of spices and peat, drifting towards rubber, grapefruit zest and burned coffee. Chili, licorice and lots of tannins dominate the long and pungent finish. An expressive character, but I do prefer its younger sibling. RATING: 3.9/5.0 stars ≙ 86 pts → FIRST-CLASS [-]

Enjoyable older peated sherry whisky.

Considering the class, it wasn't to my taste.

Zachte rookgeur, sterke sherry tonen in geur en smaak. Kruidige pepersmaak, heel lekker. Zoete afdronk

The prominent rubbery note in this whisky is quite off-putting and detracts significantly from the overall experience. In my opinion, it is highly overrated, particularly given its price point. I firmly believe that the Ledaig 10 surpasses it in every aspect, making it a far superior choice.

Farmy, heavy, meaty, sherried. Nose promises a lot, and taste almost makes it, but I can’t reach the same level.

Ralfy review 834: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lyHRt38-wk (90/100).

Strong peaty smoke, acetone, paint, sea salt, farm, decayed see weeds, fruits dried on the sun (like apples, pears, plums), zest, leather, little hints of creosote, machine oil and flowers.

S 7 Rich and heavily peated, very expressive. Doesn’t shake the world but nonetheless a very satisfying winter dram once you get over the initial punch. More peated than I would’ve expected from an 18yo dram. Also, Sherry influence is felt but not pronounced. Colour: Rose 09. Light legs. 86-90 - A to-share bottle

The rubber smoke is too strong for me. It should be given some time in the glass. Then he reminds me of Kilchoman.

Straightforward, with good complexity. Good dram.

The bacony smoke and sherry finish don't feel forced at all, but rather harmonize perfectly with the whisky. Burnt raisins, smoldering wood on a grassy meadow. The bacony smoke also comes through in the palate, complemented by fruity sherry notes, more raisins, and a touch of nuttiness and chocolate. The finish could have been a bit more intense, but that's a high-level complaint. A pleasant smoldering smoke and a hint of sweetness and wood remain in the aftertaste. Very good whisky, with a tendency to rise, but at least today it doesn't break the 90.

Just to compare with the "Ninety-Nine & One" WB-271613 The bottle has been sitting at half full for almost 5 years. (I must have too many open bottles...) It has become considerably sweeter than I remembered it.

Whisky tasting on 2026 07 08 87-

My favourite whisky ever… Intense on nose, even tough it’s not CS. Complex and simply delicious. Nose: Salty, sweet peat. Honey, red fruits, wet forest earth, some spices, winey, tobacco, old leather. What an amazing nose it is! Finish: long, changes from sweet, over peaty, to sour and bitter. Complex and very pleasent. Half a bottle left. It’s time to save…

18-02-2022, 04-10-2025

In the era when each and every distillery attempts to try themselves in peated whisky, and which results into at most 'average', this one is surprisingly good. Maybe best among non-peat distilleries core ranges. 86.5 Salt, peat, grass. A bit of sherry

It was a long evening, a lot of Ledaig, from 18 years we had a bottle of 2022, code 22316. Prickly, young, strange weak passing batch. 20+ 20 21 20+ 82 And another conclusion of the evening - currently among the new official releases Rioja Cask Finish is the best, but the new 10 and 18 are surprisingly weak (((

29.05.2021 Wow, what an aroma - sherry, burnt rubber, a smoldering fire, an elegant cowshed) The taste is slightly bitter, sharp, strong and a little sweet. The finish is long with bitterness and nicely warming. 01/29/2025 It seemed more pungent in aroma (tried after ledaig'97 Corner and ledaig'93 GM) It also tastes simpler. 22-21.5-21.5-22

I've been enjoying a 20cl sample of this, set aside from the reviewed bottle. Key takeaway: the Ledaig 18 benefits tremendously from air and time. Next time I will open a new bottle, have a couple of drams and let it sit for 6 months. Now, with enough air to make many other whiskies go flat, it's showing beautiful tropical fruits interwoven into the sherry blanket. The cough syrup note is heavenly. The nuttiness, meatiness and other hardcore spirit sulphur sensations subside within 15 mins in the glass and let everything else play out. Love this stuff - but it's not easy to crack. ***************** This is a powerhouse of a malt and it takes a long time to open up. Both challenging and rewarding. I found it quite unpleasant initially, with a mix of sour red berries and in your face peat. With the bottle 1/3 gone and a few months worth of air, it came into its own nicely, and continued to improve. There is a lot of subtlety hiding in this one. I suggest experimenting with large amounts of water to reveal it.

Campfire, brine, smoked meat, barbeque sauce, rich red fruits, ash, tar, earth, coffee, pepper, tobacco leaf, honey roasted nuts, herbs, leather. Beautifully integrated. Complex, elegant and engaging. Absolutely fantastic.

A very nice whisky, a welcome dram for special moments in everyday life.

Less intense than the 10 year old, and not as hugely peaty. I think the 10 year old edges it for me, as the profile of this whisky is a bit more traditional and conventional and may not be quite as interesting or exciting as you might have hoped for after the excellence of 1he 10...

Mainly black fruit, a hint of the sea, the spirit of Ledaig, a touch of old oak, sea salt, citrus, a hint of vanilla, and overall a decent finish

When sherry is combined with the smell of pits like smokey and woody, it seems that sherry's unique spicy sweet taste is even more highlighted. It's really delicious.

Distinctive and unique. Complex. All sensations intertwine into a single, balanced emotion. This is a very well-made autumn whisky. 23, 22, 22, 22

Even the nose makes it clear that this whisky has a lot to offer. Buttery caramel, smoke, honey, dark fruits, spices, a touch of maritime freshness, and even a brief visit to a newly opened stable. For an 18-year-old whisky, this is surprisingly complex and immediately piques one's curiosity. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite maintain this level on the palate. Raisins, sweetness, smoke, and sherry cask are pleasantly combined, but the development remains fairly linear. It weakens as it progresses, instead of conjuring up any new aromas. It's easy to drink, well-made, and has a really strong nose. However, for over 100 euros, it lacks that final bit of depth and complexity. Delicious drinks can be found at a lower price.

Very good, robust and masculine. Alcohol not received

Raisins, bit of peat, green fruits, lemon, toffee, raisins, very nice

Not quite as good as batches 2 and 3 but just by a hair. Still a very good dram.

Nose: A calming, monolithic, dense, and rich aroma. Buckwheat honey, dried fruit compote, smoked Chechil cheese, a touch of industrial notes like oily tools, dried orange peel, spices and herbs (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg), charcoal dust, iodine, seaweed, minerality, cooked shrimp, meat chips, resin, and precious wood. Palate: The body is oily, elastic, and dense. The palate is full-bodied, mature, smooth, and refined. Dried fruit sweetness, charcoal-smoky notes, iodine, nori chips, grilled cheese, dusty cabinetry, minerality, toasted nuts, orange zest, sweet spices, black pepper, tannin astringency. Finish: The finish is enveloping, pleasant, dense, and long. Coal dust, tar, dried fruit sweetness, smoked cheese, grilled meat, black pepper, sweet spices, coffee bitterness, astringent tannins. Balance: A very strong, powerful, distinctive, smoky island whisky with a well-incorporated sherry influence and a moderate smokiness. The sherry cask doesn't dominate, but rather adds depth and richness. N23, P22, F22, B22

This whisky is brilliant. Peat and sherry are in very good harmony.

Alcohol: 46.3% Aroma: Beautifully sweet scent full of sherry and peat. Clay with sour fruitiness, as is the case with finishes after red wine. Candied fruit, sweet gum. (89 b) Taste: Prickly, spicy, peppery, peat. Fruity, smoke. The body is a bit thinner, but the long peat reverberation will make up for it. At the end of sherry drying. (87 b) Points: 88/100

Aroma Sherry, sweet, tobacco, cherry, leather, herbs taste Sweet, spicy, herbs, cinnamon, creamy, woody spice, little smoke finish Medium length, somewhat astringent, sweetish, smoke

Impressive from nose to finish. Balanced, yet exciting. Sherry influence makes it sweet without covering the character of the distillery. Very nice

Yeah, Ledaig time again! I was excited about this one and it did not disappoint. The Ledaig character was very clear again, and this felt on par with the 10YO and Sinclair Series expression which I both love. I’m not sure if I think it’s worth the price increase from the 10YO bottle, but that’s a luxury problem. Excellent dram, would highly recommend (but try the 10YO first).

Elegant, drinker-friendly, enjoyable, with a solid maltiness. The price is definitely not outrageous for what is offered. A neat, proper island whisky, without watering it down! Price performance: Good Would I buy again?: Yes

So fruity , quite strong peat. Salty and sour, getting spicier and malty finished.

The hay-like maltiness makes a difference with batch 3. It's also thinner in profile than that one, which makes that I scored it one point lower. Nevertheless a very nice continuation of this expression.

Smoky bacon, wet dog, wood smoke and petrol are the immediate notes I get on the nose, but gradually a lot of extra complexity emerges: ripe, dark fruits from the sherry cask, some well-integrated oak, coriander and thyme. Lovely, unique profile that doesn’t just try and replicate the Islay peat monsters. Plenty of soft, warming bonfire smoke on the palate, with only a hint of sweetness from the sherry. A creamy note gradually emerges, leading to a long, lingering smoky and nutty finish. A really nice peated dram where the sherry cask complements, rather than competes with, Ledaig spirit. Great balance from nose through to finish.

Wonderful balance between pettiness and sherry notes.

A well-crafted release from Ledaig, performed in the best traditions of the distillery genre! Soft, drinkable, gastronomic, maximally saturated! Once again I am convinced of the magic of the union of Ledaig and sherry casks! 22 23 22 22