Ledaig Sinclair Series Peated Rioja Cask Finish 700ml

Ledaig Sinclair Series Peated Rioja Cask Finish 700ml

The combination of red wine and smoke is a tried and tested formula with peated malts. Ledaig add another twist with this expression finished in a Spanish Rioja cask. The nose goes through several stages; firstly, obviously peaty and dappled with ripe berries, then slightly feinty and dried-grass-like (as Tobermory often is) and finally more aligned with its Islay cousins as it exudes a fresh maritime edge.

There is no denying the punch of peat on the palate. Ledaig is sometimes compared with Ardbeg, but most bottlings of the latter don't come close to the kind of peat-blast offered here. The intensity is almost cask-strength with pepper augmenting the sensation; the peat takes on a rustic aspect with an earthy, lanolin feel. Add to that a deliciously salty tang combined with a succulent berry character and Sinclair is not only massively tasty but also surprisingly complex. Pushing into the value bracket, this is a more than worthy alternative to regular Islays whose prices continue to head north.

700ml / 46.3% Abv