Recent Release: Ledaig 2004-2015 10yo La Maison du Whisky ARTIST#5 #900178 60.7%

Ledaig LEDAIG 2004-2015 10yo La Maison du Whisky ARTIST#5 #900178 60.7% - One of 579 bottles, First Fill Sherry Butt The aroma is mellow and sweet, with mixed berry jam, mussel, seafood stock, herbs, a strong earthy peat with iodine notes. When drinking, it is powerful and fragrant, with jam-like sweetness similar to the aroma, herbaceous astringency that tightens the palate, some green bitterness, and a strong iodine peat that is assertive. There are some rough notes but the bold flavor lingers long. [Good/Very Good] This is Ledaig 2004 from France's La Maison du Whisky Artist Series #5, bottled in 2015. A peaty malt aged for 10 years in a First Fill Sherry Butt. The aroma clearly shows the influence of the sherry cask, with sweet berry jam notes, and seafood stock and iodine, making the peat feel strong. If I were to blind nose it, I would say it's a Sherry Cask from Laphroaig. When drinking, there is a strong sherry character, with jam-like sweetness similar to the aroma tightened by herbaceous astringency. Additionally, there are some green bitterness and rough notes that slightly affect the drinkability. However, there is a strong assertion of peat that overshadows these aspects, giving the impression that it masks them to some extent. Overall, I felt that the strong sherry and peat characteristics tried to cover up the immature notes and roughness but couldn't fully hide them. That said, this type of malt with bold sherry and peat is rare, the sherry character itself is good, and some of the rough parts may improve with time. It seems like an attractive release for those who enjoy this style.