January, on this blog, is traditionally reserved for non-Scotch-single-malt beverages (Burns' Night excepted), but we will kick off this year with Scotch single malts regardless.
Ledaig 14yo 1973/1987 (56.3%, Sestante): nose: meow! Very-slightly-smoked orchard fruits, mainly cut Golden Delicious apples, but also kakis. Thirty seconds of breathing transform this into a much smokier affair, with charcoal smoke, soot and charred wood. With a bit of shaking the glass, one can swiftly find the fruits again, still from the orchard, crunchy, bright and juicy. Comice pears and quinces join, presented in a lacquered wooden case. Suddenly, a wave of engine grease slaps the taster in the nose, then shoves (blue) plasticine through the nostrils. As unexpectedly as it came, that note disappears to leave charred bacon, followed by cured orchard fruits and bruised apples. The second nose smells more autumnal, with dead leaves, muddy earth, and fruits falling off trees. There is something else that is too subtle to fully grasp; acetone, maybe? Wood varnish? Wood stain? Windscreen defroster? Hard to tell. Rising and overtaking that are matchsticks, that is paraffin-coated wood, splashed with black ink... and kerosene. Mouth: we have more fruity smoke or smoky fruits on the palate, apples again, but also kakis and persimmons, this time. Chewing stirs up the smoke, which makes for an acrid mouthfeel, adds embers, a pinch of white ash, and soot-y grapefruit segments. It has burnt wood as well, smoked orange and a timid thyme infusion. The second sip seems fruitier, with pineapple juice and oroblanco pulp ravishing the taste buds. We pick up a droplet of windscreen defroster, so soft that many would overlook it, but those who are super-sensitive may dislike that and call it soapy. Although sweet and fruity are the major adjectives, bitter and acidic are not entirely absent. Finish: soft and fruity on the way down, it explodes as soon as it hits the bottom of the stomach. A puff of hot smoke comes back up and warms up one's thorax. The mouth is in the same state as after smoking a cigar: dry, numb, and slowly waking up to menthol, cigar leaves and smoked apple slices. The second gulp feels fruitier and less smoky. Pineapple paste blended with plasticine, as well as stale membrillo, chewy fruit-flavoured sweets, laurel leaves and menthol cream. Once all that has stopped talking, we get the same puff of hot smoke as before. These early Ledaig expressions are often excellent and this is no exception. 9/10 (Thanks for the sample, OB)
Caol Ila 17yo 1974/1991 (61.1%, Signatory Vintage, C#5-9, 3000b): nose: the smoke is more immediate in this one, with burnt wood, smoke from a brick oven and ashes on the campfire. We also have roasted apples (or grilled on the same campfire), and, slowly but surely, traces of smoked whelks and sand. From there, of course, we find (or deduce) fishing nets drying in the sun, crushed mussel shells and diesel engines. Interestingly, next to the diesel are pansies in a planter -- a planter shaped like a giant mussel shell. The second nose has a leathery whiff to it, closer to a suede bag than to leather belts, and oilcloth so dry it is all crackled. Soon enough, smoke comes back assertively: smoked modelling wax or plasticine, clay pots in the oven for two minutes, followed by smoked chayotes and guavas. Later on, it is empty wooden boxes that once may have contained cigars or eucalyptus powder, but are now just dusty. Mouth: big and oily, greasy, it has mud patties, diesel spilled in a puddle of sea water, mussel shells licked by flames, burnt wood, and a wave of delicious fruits -- satsumas, persimmons, cherimoyas, longans. The second sip is very similar, yet it gains a minuscule droplet of shampoo, and that gain is its loss. Sample going off? On the positive side, it also smoked-coconut yoghurt, which is much more pleasant. Repeated sipping has a similar effect as a windscreen cleaning agent, stripping enough to leave the mouth squeaky. Fortunately, that swiftly morphs into wood spices (ginger, cloves, lemongrass). Finish: smoke and burnt stuff (wood, fruit, plastic). Chargrilled pineapple, smashed into a paste, smoked persimmon, smoked Conference pear. The maritime notes have gone AWOL. Imagine searing welks and cockles in a frying pan, discarding them, and deglazing the pan with fruit juice. That juice is all that remains, it seems. The second gulp adds some tame spices, namely cinnamon paste, ground clove, and a little bit of grated ginger. That has a tingling effect on the gums, which elevates the fruitiness to another level. Honestly, there is also a touch of soap in the finish, which makes me think it was high time to polish this sample. 9/10 (Thanks for the sample, OB)
