Here's the second of the pair of Tobermory whiskies my father bought me as a wedding present: this is the peated version, which is marketed under the Ledaig label. Now you'll notice the similarity in terms of packaging to the unpeated Tobermory 10 featured here a while back; the general repackaging has included the Ledaig as well, which is now offered as a 10-year old expression at 46.3% ABV.
The old Ledaig, which was a bargain in various supermarkets, Morrison's in particular, carried no age statement, and therefore could probably be assumed to contain whisky that was something like 5-7 years old. The extra maturing time, as well as the increased ABV, makes quite a difference to the appearance, as you can see from this comparison shot: the old one was much paler and yellower, while the new one is richer and more golden brown.
None of which matters a tinker's cuss if they've ruined the whisky, of course, but I think it's safe to say they haven't: imagine if you will a cross between the smoky mackerel of the old Ledaig and the fermented cabbage of the new Tobermory, with a bit of sherry cask sweetness added, and you'd be in the right sort of ballpark. It's a rich smoky affair, less sweet than, say, the Ardmore, but richer and sweeter and less antiseptic than the Talisker or the Bowmore. I think it's really good, but it's fair to say Tobermory isn't the best-loved or most fashionable distillery. If things go to plan, though, I will be there quite lidderally in person on the second weekend in September, so I will hopefully have a chance to pick up some more of their product. Watch this space!
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