Peat Fans Take Notice—A 20-Year, Age-Stated Stunner for a Song
1997 Ledaig 20 Year Old “Munros” K&L Exclusive Cask Strength Unchillfiltered Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky 

NOTE: In accordance with local directives, our walk-in retail locations are currently closed. We have low cost and free delivery options available in ZIP codes where we can ship lawfully, including anywhere in California. We can also include any new or existing will call orders in your delivery batch. Choose local delivery at checkout to learn if you qualify.

The latest stellar find from our K&L Exclusive Cask program is one that no aficionado of peat should pass on. Ledaig is a hidden gem for that classic peated malt profile, and over the years we’ve made plenty of Ardbeg and Laphroaig devotees very happy by turning them on to this largely unsung label distilled at Tobermory on the Isle of Mull. We scored three numbered barrels of the very rare 1997 Ledaig 20 Year Old, bottled under the Glasgow Whisky Company’s Munros brand, from one of our trusty suppliers at an unbelievable price, which makes this one of the can’t-miss whisky offers of the year (so far). While an abundance of smoky, charred overtones and cask-strength weight define this Islay malt, there’s also a remarkably broad-ranging complexity capped by the signature Ledaig hallmark of a briny, salty piquancy that lends a singular stylistic flair to what is otherwise a tried-and-true smoke bomb. This 20-year peat monster offers all the stunning character one could expect from a whisky with this much age, but it won’t set you back nearly as much as comparable bottlings from the larger production brands. Fans and collectors of heavily peated Scotch whisky owe it to themselves to get their hands on this once-in-a-blue-moon expression, because when it’s gone it’s unlikely we’ll see it again, and certainly not for less than triple digits..

1997 Ledaig 20 Year Old “Munros” K&L Exclusive Cask Strength Unchillfiltered Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($99.99)

The Munros are Scotland’s tallest peaks, all over 3000 feet, named for Sir Hugh Munro, who first compiled a list of Scotland’s 282 tallest individual mountain peaks. Becoming somewhat of an obsession for the UK’s mountaineering crowd, the Munros in Scottish culture represent the spirit of adventure and comradery that mountain climbing embodies. This tiny brand of high-quality single malts is bottled by the Glasgow Whiskey Company. Their US importer sadly passed away a few years ago and the stocks languished in a warehouse on the East Coast until one of our trusted suppliers came across them. This excellent cask strength offering is a vatting of three sequentially numbered American oak ex-bourbon hogheads filled at the Tobermory distillery on May Day 1997. Ledaig is the heavily peated spirit that comes out of the wonderful distillery on the Isle of Mull. The idiosyncratic style has won fans across the malt drinking world, but the relative rarity of this small production malt has pushed up prices recently. We are very lucky to have found these barrels at pre-tariff 2016 prices and bought every single bottle we could find.

Will Blakely | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 20, 2020

Fans of proper peat rejoice! All the rich, mossy earth and iodine and charcoal briquette you know and love are here in an impossibly well-priced package. While the malt is definitely the star of the show, boasting a golden char that brings sultana and citrus peel up from the peaty depths, that smoke is no joke. Dark chocolate full of chunky sea salt, seaweed and green leaves, barbecue pork and charred bananas all make an appearance, along with a cameo from something burning in the distance. It is difficult to find words to capture the fullness of flavor, but I have come to recognize Ledaig for its signature umami character. Few whiskies come close to that complete, slightly salty but entirely satisying feeling. And after recently closing temporarily to upgrade the equipment, the distillery will probably see a price increase for its coveted malt. Pick this one up while you can.

Keith Mabry | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 05, 2020

Deliciously sweet smoky peat flavors are rounded out with notes of incense and dried fruit. This rich and detailed version is a must for fans of Ardbeg’s more elite bottlings.