Ledaig 13 2005 Single Cask Nation

Finally getting to my first ever swap to review. Thanks to robbentheking over at speak-easy for the swap on this one. I haven’t had the chance to try an SCN bottle yet and they seem to be on the better received end of bottlers from what I’ve seen online. I couldn’t pass up and opportunity to try this Ledaig I had already wanted to purchase but could find available for shipping to me.

Ledaig 13 2005 Vintage, Single Cask Nation, Island (Mull) Single Malt, 57.1% ABV

Minutia: Distilled in October 2005 and matured in 2nd fill Sherry but #900165 for 13 years and bottled in March 2019 yielding 575 bottles. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Tawny, 1.4.

Nose: Dirty, earthy, woody smoke, with a tinge of fruit. After a while it smells like a pepper/coffee-rubbed steak.

Taste: Dirty/earthy. Spicy, woody. Char/smoky.

Finish: Earthy, smoky, maillard flavor. Medium-long.

Man, this was excellent. It was almost like falling in love with Ledaig all over again as I felt similarly to the first time I ever had it. A lovely dirtiness to this dram that makes me thing of the Alexander Murray 20 I had, but whatever that was missing to bring it over the edge to loving it, this has (or whatever this has, that lost).

Score: 91

Waterford Ballymorgan 1.2

Another of Waterford’s early single farm origin releases, this one a bit older than the ones I’ve had already and the third farm source.

Waterford Ballymorgan 1.2, Ireland Single Malt, 50% ABV

Minutia: Distilled on June 1-4, 2016 from Overture barley from Ballymorgan farm harvested September 13, 2015 - fermented with Mauri distiller’s yeast for 136 hours and matured in 1st fill and virgin American oak, French oak, and Vin Doux Naturel casks for 4 years, 1 month, and 2 days before bottling on September 28, 2020 producing 30,000 bottles. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Deep gold, 0.8.

Nose: Buttery cookie, banana, malt. Wants to be tropical fruit. 

Taste: Banana, doughy/creamy, same tropical fruit hint, cinnamon, green apple.

Finish: Malty chocolate, thick coat. Medium.

From the four I’ve had, Waterford clearly has a distillery style. I’m enjoying them a bit more as they get a bit older, so I’m still looking forward to some properly aged expressions. The various farms, and to an extent editions, do indeed vary subtly and that’s kind of neat to taste. Again, looking forward to more of them, with a handful of samples of these early releases coming in the next couple weeks.

Score: 88

Springbank 18

After absolutely loving the 15, I really wanted to get my hands on the 18 and 21 (and anything to come out of that distillery and Glengyle, really) but I figured it wouldn’t happen unless by chance a bar had them for a reasonable price with prices being what they are in the US. But, back when whiskysite.nl was still shipping to the US I happened to be placing an order while they had samples of the 18 and 21 in stock (21 review coming soon, or in a few months if I’m being honest) and I took advantage. So, how does this stack up against their other expressions.

Springbank 18, Campbeltown Single Malt, 46% ABV

Minutia: Matured for 18 years in 88% ex-bourbon casks and 12% ex-Port casks and bottled in 2020. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Old gold amber, 0.6.5.

Nose: Bright. Smoke. Dunnage. Dark fruit.

Taste: Wood/smoke, but green. Light fruit. Effervescent feeling on the sides of the tongue.

Finish: Bright Springbank fruity smoke. Long.

Wow, what a light color for this age and port casks. This leaves an absolutely pleasant taste in your mouth. Overall I actually liked it a bit less than the 15, so definitely it’s not worth the premium over that, but it’s still a super offering from the folks at Springbank.

Score: 89

Musical Evocation: Unleash the Archers – “Dawn of Ages”

Octomore 10.2

I’ve finally caught up with posting everything I’ve reviewed so I’m taking this as an opportunity to get to a handful of samples which have either been waiting a while and/or I’m eager to try as well as take a bit of a break from peat (he’s says, reviewing an Octomore) as I work my way to review 225 for which I’ve planned an Ardmore sister cask side by side. Ok, you got me, the peat break starts after a couple of peated samples I’ve been itching to get to. Starting with an Octomore from a series I’ve had two of (10.3 and 10.4) and thoroughly enjoyed.

Octomore 10.2, Islay Single Malt, 56.9% ABV

Minutia: Distilled in 2010 from Scottich grown Opticon and Oxbridge barley peat to 96.9ppm, matured on Islay for four years in 1st fill ex-American whiskey casks then for four years in Sauternes wine casks before bottling in 2019. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Chestnut Oloroso Sherry, 1.2.

Nose: Lawn clippings, apricot, you can tease out some smoke that stays there once you do. There’s thank funk that typically screams Octomore, but here it’s more of a loud whisper.

Taste: Heat, diminishes into smoke, which lets meat creep in.

Finish: Big musty, fruity smoke. Leaves the fruit behind early and a medicinal note kicks in. More the cough syrup kind than iodine/bandages. Longish.

Time in the glass serves this well. This is nice but not did not compel me to acquire a bottle, something the 10.3 and 10.4 both did. 

Score: 86

Waterford Bannow Island 1.2

 

One of the things I was looking forward to with Waterford is comparing the farms against one another and against future harvests/bottlings. I’m not bothering with a side by side on this one since it was really just a second issue of 1.1 due to unanticipated demand. But, here are my notes about this on its own.

Waterford Bannow Island 1.2, Ireland Single Malt, 50% ABV

Minutia: Distilled on June 23, 2016 from Overture barley from Bannow Island farm - sown on March 23, 2015 and harvested September 7, 2015 - fermented with Mauri distiller’s yeast for 136.2 hours and matured in 1st fill and virgin American oak, French oak, and Vin Doux Naturel casks for 3 years, 10 months, and 22 days before bottling on July 8, 2020 producing 9,000 bottles. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Burnished, 1.1.

Nose: Doughy, malty, floral, hint of tropical fruit. 

Taste: Banana/bread, malty, light tropical fruit (the lighter variety, not lightly present).

Finish: Malty chocolate, vegetal/grassy. Medium.

Much like the 1.1, this is pretty good but young. My notes are more or less the same (different words, but about the same flavors), as expected. I liked this one a bit more on the finish, the 1.1 didn’t have as much of an earthy quality to it. If Waterford was only ever going to be releasing 3-4 year old expressions, I’d be content with what I’ve tried already, but the outlook with some age on it is positive. I’ll be reviewing some other X.1 samples in the coming weeks, but really have my sights set on future, more aged Bannow Island expressions, and whatever standard releases Waterford might eventually put out.

Score: 85