Five Independent Ledaig Releases | Various ABV

Trying to fathom Signatory Vintage

Signatory are a funny outfit. And I don’t mean ‘funny’ in a Mike Myers kind of way (and you can decide if I mean either the Canadian comedian or the immortal horror movie character).

As an independent bottler they were early on the scene. In a way, they are Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone of The Godfather series; the Godfather son of the original Godfather Vito Corleone played by Marlon Brando. To take this analogy further, we can suggest Gordon & MacPhail are Vito. That worked better in my head than on the page.

What I am trying to say is that they weren’t the first on the scene, but were a new generation doing new things in a century-old industry, and in that regard, respect and homage must be paid. And whilst the control Signatory’s owners exert on their stock is tighter than the grip of a Gibraltan Barbary macaque on a plastic bag, they have allowed the odd slip of stock on the day of their daughter’s wedding to certain other companies.

In their early days when email addresses were rare, and those who understood what an independent bottler was were rarer still, Signatory could often be found at festivals. The brand was heavily pushed in the UK, France, and Germany. Roll on a decade or two and they now no longer play this game that almost all other indie bottlers must. They have become a faceless company and now have, or instead rely, on two assets to sell their whisky: desirability and price.

You could argue about reputation and trade relations, but that only works for those of us who are long in the liver of drinking the stuff. You can’t attract new drinkers with a reputation for quality if folk have never heard of you. So price, rarity and desirability are Signatory’s strengths. To an extent, I’ve previously covered price, and desirability boils down to offering what other IBs cannot or do not—and likely at an attractive price.

Some Signatory releases are now priced into the thousands; a price level that ensures few will ever be bought to be drunk. Many of these have little or no competition, making comparison on price difficult. Some of the bottlings, however, are not in the same league in terms of scarcity or age, making elevated prices appear odd - certainly when compared to rival company expressions.

There is, arguably, no better distillate to discuss this trend than with Ledaig – the peated spirit produced at Tobermory. Once the name of the distillery itself, Ledaig was revived as a brand in the 1990s. However, you don’t need to look that far back to remember a time when no one gave a bag-grabbing monkey’s about Ledaig.

The scarcely-found distillery bottlings, often propping up the bargain end of supermarkets, probably did more damage than good in bringing peated whiskies to the masses. Insipid, dull, uninspired and quite clearly un-loved, the brand was originally rather hopeless and pointless. It is no wonder it was clearly marketed miles away from being associated with Tobermory, which, although not a heavily pushed single malt, was given far more credence and prominence.

Had it not been for a few independent bottlings that demonstrated the remarkable qualities of Ledaig - and there is a common theme to the spirit, which will be seen in my, and others, notes - it is possible that the boring bottlings may have continued. I’ve already written about Ardmore in much the same way, but at least in their defence, Ardmore is a large distillery making 99.9% of everything it does to feed blends. Ledaig was never made in anything like the same volume, and it is slightly bewildering why something so ‘special’ from a distillery was not given more attention.

Up until recent years, Ledaig was a poor man’s Islay from an independent bottler. Many many times have drinkers been lulled into mistakenly thinking the Isle of Mull distillate they were drinking was from the Isle of Islay. And don’t worry; I am not accusing anyone of irregular labelling or conning the customer – just that when drunk blind or before being informed of what the whisky was, well, it was all too easy to think it came from Islay; perhaps in part due to the malt being sourced from Port Ellen at the time.

Because of Ledaig’s lack of coverage or marketing, it was not a whisky that flew off the shelves – it took tastings, festivals and revelations for folk, at least those who liked peaty whisky, to go, ‘Hey, what is this stuff?!’ This was left to the likes of Gordon & MacPhail, Cadenhead’s, Signatory, and a few others to promote. And they did, so much so, that suddenly Ledaig casks began to double and triple in value. What was a relatively cheap peated whisky quickly became rather expensive. And no, I don’t know who is to blame for that. Certainly not the distillery owners, at least.

So this curious, revived malt from Mull leads me nicely into a comparative tasting of five examples being tasted today. I could have included a host of other independent Ledaigs and a few official ones, but, as Dramface does not request bottles from anyone, these are what I have on hand, and it’s more than enough to go on. By pure coincidence, I had not read Wally’s recent review of the Living Souls ‘Ninety-Nine & One’, but all reviews are made better by having more than one voice or opinion.

Review 1/5

Ledaig 20yo, Master of Malt, September 1997, disgorged 2017, oloroso butt, 58.2% ABV
£120, now sold out

Score: 6/10

**Good stuff.**
***TL;DR***
*Good, but slightly rough around the edges & a touch too hot*

Nose

Cheese rind dipped in a sweet sauce. It is full of smoked meats and cheeses – think runny French Brie with wood smoke and sweet wine all rolled into one. There is an Italian cheese company that matures its cheeses in beer – this is similar. Hint of Walnut covered in dark chocolate. Pumpernickel. Stale cigar smoke.

Palate

Sweet at first, before the smoke comes flooding through. The high alcohol, whilst not burning on the nose, attacks the tongue – highly spiced – the sides of my mouth take a bit of a beating. First sip has a lot less of those smoked meats and cheeses that are all over the nose. With a drop of water the assault on the attack is slightly calmed, but there is still a high level of ‘hotness’ about this distillate – my lips are buzzing a bit as I type.

The Dregs

This will suit some palates, but not really mine. It screams Ledaig and the oloroso cask has not dominated, instead allowing a sweetness, dryness and hint of sherry that certainly adds to the distillate – no masking going on. It is not a classic Ledaig but decently priced for a 20yo single cask expression.

Score: 6/10

Review 2/5

Ledaig 17yo, Signatory Vintage, Distilled September 2005, bottled April 2023, refill oloroso butt, #900038, 65% ABV
£230, still some availability, occasional reductions

Score: 6/10

**Good stuff.**
***TL;DR***
*Deserves an extra point at a more sensible price, as it stands 99% of drinkers need not apply*

Nose

Sweet toasted caramel. Incredibly, despite its immense ABV, there is little nose-prickle. Eventually we get to the smoked meats and cheeses. More Kippers or Smokies than cheesy – there is a level of brininess here – a nod to the coastal element of the distillery. Behind the smoky notes is a nuttiness, walnuts. Dark chocolate and dry (can a nose be dry?).

Palate

Whilst expecting my palate to be blown away by the 65% abv, I am pleasantly surprised to find that the initial wave is quite calm and enjoyable. Again, I am getting a sweet, toasted caramel note with a quite meaty-smokiness. Less fishy than the nose suggests – although this does return in the finish. With water the Sherry becomes much more dominant. It is very dry and full of dark chocolate flavours. There is quite a bite to this whisky but nothing serious and whilst the tongue is attacked, it does calm down with the second swig.

The Dregs

This is a sophisticated Ledaig - full of charm and deep, rich flavours. The alcohol, whilst scary on the label, is not so tough on the nose and palate - but this whisky benefits (greatly in my opinion) from a splash or two of water. I greatly enjoyed the more maritime elements on the nose and again resurfacing in the finish. I will never fathom where Signatory plucked (invented) the price from though as it’s frankly a nonsense compared to these other more moderately priced drams.

This is a very good whisky though, and if the price was sensible it would deserve a solid 7/10. Should you spy it on someone else’s shelf, help yourself to a dram. Unless you’re in a pub, then make sure no-one is looking first.

Otherwise, if money is no object add it to your list - but if it does then read on - there’s plenty of choice.

Score: 6/10

Review 3/5

Ledaig 14yo, Cadenhead’s Original Collection, 46% ABV
£55 - 60 still some availability

Score: 7/10

**Very good indeed.**
***TL;DR***
*A nice switch of pace - a clean, intriguing bottle of what is usually an oily spirit*

Nose

The label states ‘Matured in Bourbon Casks’, and this is evident, not just from the colour, but from the first whiff.

This is so much cleaner than some of its peers. The smoke is brighter without any meats or cheeses to be found. Much more pear drops, coconut, heather, fresh sea air and sweet oak. Nosing this blind and I would not have got anywhere near the Isle of Mull – well not for a few guesses at least. With a bit of air there is the beginnings of crème anglaise - custard, or a vanilla creaminess, if you prefer.

Palate

Soft and simple at first. Perhaps it might have been best to taste this before some of the others as my palate is almost rejoicing in the fact that there is no assault. The softness is a bit of a let down, but that only informs me that I need to let my senses reset.

This is a completely different beast. The peatiness is so much reduced from those already tasted. I’m no expert on production at Tobermory, but does the ppm change or, dare I say it, where the peat comes from? Allowing my senses to adjust, I can now get vanilla, soft smoke, sweet oak and some barley sugar flavours.

The Dregs

This is an easy sipper and will appeal to a much wider audience than at least the first two. I usually applaud the 46% bottling—given that it almost always removes the need to add water and brings down the cost considerably in these overtaxed times—but here it is up against some mighty bruisers and lacks a real oomph when compared. However, that is not going to cost it any points as it is a delightful expression of the distillery showing a much cleaner side to the spirit. It is also priced at a level that allows it to be drunk on a Thursday night without much guilt.

Score: 7/10

Review 4/5

Ledaig 14yo, Claxton’s Warehouse No.1, distilled February 2008, Merlot barrique, 57.2% ABV
£140 still some availability

Score: 6/10

**Good stuff.**
***TL;DR***
*the wine cask adds a layer that may please some, but will turn off many*

Nose

The wine, whilst immediate and forward, does not threaten a tannin tsunami, which is a relief. There is a synthetic strawberry sweetness that quite often comes from ex-red wine casks when used again by the whisky trade – a mushy dessert filled with red berries and lots of sugar.

The smoke is there, under the fruity notes, and suggests the smoked meats and cheeses (‘always pleases’ as Bob Mortimer would say) so identifiable with many Ledaigs. Actually, with some oxygen and time, this becomes more prevalent as the red wine elements evaporate. Even so, I am reminded of day old Eton mess – always tastes better on the second day…

Palate

So much softer than expected. The peat is very subdued and there is a mushiness to the entire palate. The red wine notes are quite heavy without being overly tannic – the red fruits all but gone – instead of an Eton mess it is more like a day-old gateaux. Overall, it is quite rich – you wouldn’t drink a lot of this in one sitting. The high alcohol has not attacked the palate (or have I just acclimatised?) and with a dash of water it becomes even softer on the palate – but I’m not convinced it improves it.

The Dregs

The least sophisticated of the five Ledaigs here, yet it does present the distillate in a completely different light. I’m not a huge fan of ex-red wine casks, often worried of the tannins getting in the way, but this expression has been bottled definitely on the right side of the wine notes overtaking or overpowering the cask. Not my favourite but I would happily take a dram of this with anyone offering.

Score: 6/10

Review 5/5

Living Souls Ninety-Nine & One, ‘3yo Blended Scotch Whisky’ Bourbon and sherry casks, 46.3% ABV
£58 still some availability

Score: 8/10

**Something special.**
***TL;DR***
*a time-traveller, priced to allow most drinkers to sip without worry*

Nose

There is an element of diesel and boiled potatoes on the nose. But don’t take that the wrong way, firstly, because it was a tasting note used by Richard Joynson (look him up) once to describe ALL American Whiskey, which tickled me at the time, but also because that is a note that intrigues me rather than deters me. In it I read ‘oiliness’ (loads on the nose of this whisky) and also a ‘starchy-sweetness’, which again I am getting on the nose.

The sherry notes are in great balance with the smoky-sweet notes. Yes, there are again, as almost always, the smoked meats and cheeses, but they are harmonious – there is no cheese rind cutting through or too much fattiness.

This is by far my favourite nosing of the five as everything is in balance. You’ll likely find, as I do, apricots, figs, oak and Sherry notes and a multitude of other things if you take your time.

Palate

Soft and sweet at first. The smoke is almost an afterthought and really comes through on the finish, which has XO Cognac notes galore. Apparently, there is three-year-old whisky in this; not sure where, as I can’t detect anything young.

The palate does suggest this was bottled ‘just in time’. There is the merest whiff of a hint that some of the sherry casks were going to add a touch too much, but instead, the finish is filled with that rich pipe tobacco note – the one we all smelled as kids and wondered if the pipe tasted like that (spoiler: it doesn’t).

This dram reminds me of those great blends of the 50s and 60s that now go for silly money on the secondary market.

The Dregs

This is sophisticated, balanced and very drinkable. There is just enough of the ‘Ledaig’ smokiness to keep the fans interested, but with a harmony and drinkability that I, for one, love in a bottle priced as it is.

Long after finishing my third or fourth glass, I am still smacking my lips as the flavours return. It is (almost) the least punchy of the five, but high abv should not be the reason to buy a whisky.

This bottling also speaks to me because it offers all that is great about independent bottlers. A happy accident, for the bottler at least, has led to it not being a single malt, nor even ascribed to the distillery. With a little detective work (I’m lying here - I was told at the Independent Spirits Festival precisely what it is) you get something so deliciously drinkable, and affordable, and something the distillery themselves would have likely been forced into blending into insignificance.

Score: 8/10

The Final Dregs

From the selection tasted we can see, in this instance, that Signatory is offering nothing overly special compared to competitors. We can have a long discussion about whether bottling anything at 65% abv is a good idea (it is legitimately ‘cask strength’, after all), but priced at £230 is beyond the realms of justification.

Remembering Signatory’s incredible 100º Proof Series, mostly priced sub-£50, just leaves me scratching my head. Now, either my piece about them not losing money on that series (they did not) was in error (it was not) or, for this Ledaig bottling someone just picked a number out of thin air or believed this cask to be some sort of unicorn (it isn’t).

It wasn’t a mistake, as several sister casks are also available and all sit around similar ABVs and priced north of £200. I note one has just had £70 knocked off its retail price down to £200 – evidence the pricing was flawed perhaps?

There is also a Whisky Sponge Ledaig that is supplied by Signatory (it says so on the front label) and priced at just a few pennies under £300. This is even harder to swallow (metaphorically) as you know where it came from; and rather than give Sponge a discount, allowing them to at least meet parity in price, Signatory have just sold them a cask, and Sponge has added their margin - thereby immediately making themselves an absolute chunk more expensive than their supplier’s offerings.

Had this been a single cask Ardbeg or Springbank, the £300 price tag would still make it a bitter pill to swallow. As a Ledaig, a whisky whose core range 10yo starts at around £35, this little side-by-side suggests this pill is jagged and the size of a rugby ball - with rusty edges.

Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. FF

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