We’re kicking off a week of indie Ledaig scotch reviews with this, the 2007 Hidden Spirits Ledaig 11 Years. It comes from an Italian bottler, purchased online from a shop overseas and was in the ex-Bourbon Ledaig tasting we did for Malt Nuts in December 2019. It was only a couple months ago, but it feels a lifetime away.
This is the first whisky I’ve ever had from this bottler, but it’s far from the first Ledaig I’ve ever had. Thanks to the Malt Nuts it’s well north of 30 and with an upcoming tasting for older Ledaig on the books we’ll be looking at well north of 40, possibly even 50, by the time that night is over. It’s a distillery (Tobermory) I’ve come to truly enjoy.
2007 Hidden Spirits Ledaig 11 Years Review: Details and Tasting Notes
“Ledaig 11 years old, targato Hidden Spirits, e un Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky distillato presso Tobermory Distillery, sull’Isola di Mull, nel Giugno 2007 ed imbottigliato nel Gennaio 2017 alla gradazione alcolica di 52,2%vol. Ledaig 2007, e un Single Cask Whisky dai pronunciati toni torbati (peated) che si esperimono appieno al grado di botte (cask strength).”
Details (price, mash bill, cask type, ABV, etc.)
Region: Islands, Scotland
Distiller: Tobermory
Bottled By: Hidden Spirits
Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: ex-Bourbon
Age: 11 Years (2007-2019)
ABV: 52.2%
Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Cask: LG719
Price: NA – Auction, Specialty Store or Private Seller (~$75 when purchased)
Tasting Notes
EYE
Pale straw
NOSE
Play Dough and smoked meat. Dustings of vanilla, charcoal, salt, orange dreamsicle and an earthy “human” quality.
PALATE
Waxy banana and smoked toffee. Bits of dried orchard fruit, minerality, citrus peels and meat.
FINISH
Long -> Smoke and minerally clay fades to banana malt.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Ok balance, medium-full body and an oily feel.
2007 Hidden Spirits Ledaig 11 Years Review: Overall and Score
Aroma is earthy and spirity, minerally, sweet without a whole lot going on above that; Palate is waxy, fruity, sweet and smoky with some added dry fruity and minerally notes, but it sits light and muted; Finish is a shadow of the palate. Meh… it’s a meh whisky.
The fruity sweetness is the best part of this whisky, but it gets punched in the gut over and over by the rawer spirity minerally quality. Adding water brings out more spirity and minerally notes while also kicking up the smoke and butteriness a bit, but not enough to compensate. In the end, this 2007 Hidden Spirits Ledaig 11 Years doesn’t come across as fully mature or integrated.
SCORE: 2.5/5
2007 Hidden Spirits Ledaig 11 Years Review $75
Overall
2.5- Nose (2.5)
- Palate (2.5)
- Finish (2.5)
- BBF (2.5)
User Review
0 (0 votes) Comments Rating 0 (0 reviews)2007 Hidden Spirits Ledaig 11 Years Review Summary
It doesn’t fully come together. It needed to be in a better cask. As is, it feels young and spirity and given its age I can’t help but thing it was in a tired cask that didn’t have a whole lot left to give
’’’’’’’’’
