Distillery in Focus: Tobermory
Region: Highlands (Islands)
Name: Tobermory. Other names: Ledaig
Status: Active
Website: www.glengarioch.com
Telephone: 01651 873450
E-Mail:
Address: Distillery Road, Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire, AB51 0ES
Visitor centre: Yes
Owner: Distell
Established in 1784
Stills: 2 wash(22,000 L) and 2 spirit stills (17,100 L)
Percentage single malt: N.A.
Casks used for maturation: Refill and first fill bourbon cask, with some sherry casks.
Contribute(d) to the following blends: Black botte.
Regular Bottling:
Tobermory 10 YO, 46.3%
Tobermory 15 YO, 46.3%
Ledaig 10 YO, 46.3%
Ledaig 18 YO, 46.3%
Limited editions:
Since at least the mid 2010s, the distillery is proposing distillery exclusive bottlings at the distillery
For the tasted whiskies, click here
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| An old view from Tobermory (circa 1908) with its distillery (left side, ©whisky-news.com) |
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| A view of the distillery from circa 1918 (©whisky-news.com) |
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| And a more modern one, before the renovation from 2017-18 |
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| And inside the still house |
History of the Ledaig/Tobermory distillery
John Sinclair apparently started the distillery in 1795 and was registered between 1827 and 1830 to John Sinclair and McLachlan, and to John Sinclair from 1833 until its closure in 1837. It was re-established in 1878. W. Campbell was the owner in 1881 and Mackill took over until he was sequestrated in 1887. John Hopkins & Sons Co operated the distillery from 1890 to 1916, before being taken over by the DCL who kept the same name until its closure in 1930.
It served as a canteen and a power station afterwards, until 1972 when reopened as the Ledaig Distillery, Tombermory Ltd. The distillery closed again in early 1975 following bankruptcy. In 1978, the Kirkleavington Property Company Ltd bought the distillery but could not keep the distillery opened longer than their previous owner, as it was silent between 1982 and 1989. Due to financial reasons, they sold their only warehouse to be converted in flats. In 1989, CL Financial acquired the distillery.
In 2003, Burn Stewart (own by the South African Distell group), purchased the distillery for £600,000 plus £200,000 for the stocks.
Tobermory distilled in between 1972 and 1974 two types of whiskies, the unpeated Tobermory and the peated Ledaig. The production of Ledaig resumed in 1996, and the production is split 50:50 between the products. Ledaig is made from malt peated to circa 40 ppm. The wash is fermented between 50 to 80 hours.
The distillery will be closed between 2017 and 2019 for renovation (upgrade).
Ledaig:
Official/original bottlings (OB) Age Ledaig 10 YO, OB, 46.3%, B:2014 Rating: 15/20 Ledaig 18 YO, OB, 46.3%, B:2015 Rating: 17/20 Ledaig 18 YO Batch 2, OB, 46.8%, B:2016 Rating: 14/20 Ledaig 20 Years, OB, 43%, B: 1999 Rating: 14/20 Vintages Ledaig 1972, 42 YO, OB, advanced sample, B:2014 Rating: No Age Specified (NAS)
Independent bottlings (IB) and undisclosed "Ledaig" Acla Selection Ledaig 2007, 14 YO, Acla Da Fans, 52.6%, B:2021, c. 800040. Rating: 15/20 Ledaig 2007, 11 YO, Acla Selection, 52.6%, B:2018 Rating: 17/20 Adelphi Ledaig 2007, 11 YO, Adelphi, 63.3%, B:2018, c.800001 Rating: 16/20 Alambic Classique Ledaig 1972, 37 YO, Alambic Classique, 48.1%, B: 2009, c.10722. Rating: 15/20 Ledaig 1972, 32 YO, Alambic classique, 48.9%, B: 2005, c. 8721, 396 b. Rating: 16/20 Blackadder Ledaig 1975, Blackadder, 56.5%, B:1995, cask 65, 180 b. Rating: 15/20 Cadenhead's Ledaig Sherry, 11 YO, Cadenhead’s, 61.8%, B:2017. Rating: 14/20 Ledaig 1973, 21 YO, Cadenhead’s 53.4%, B: 1994 Rating: 13/20 Ledaig 2005 for HNWS Taiwan 12th Anniversary, 12 YO, Cadenhead's, 61.1%, B:2017. Rating: 14/20 Carn Mor Ledaig 2008, 7 YO, Carn Mor, 46%, B:2015, 783 b. Rating: 14/20 Chieftains Ledaig 1973, 31 YO, Chieftains, 54.8%, B: 2004, c. 1710, 114 b. Rating: 18/20 Cooper's Choice Ledaig 2000, 17 YO, Cooper’s Choice, 55.5%, B:2017, c. 800116 Rating: 16/20 Douglas Laing & Provenance Ledaig 1998, Provenance, 46%, B:2006, cask 2913/2914 Rating: 13/20 Ledaig 2002 Old Particular, 15 YO, Douglas Laing, 48.8%, B:2017, cask DL11755 Rating: 16/20 Elixir Distillers Ledaig The Future of Whisky 2005, 12 YO, Elixir Distillers, 58.4%, B:2018 Rating: 15/20 Gordon & MacPhail Ledaig 1993, G&M, 43%, B:2010. Rating: 14/20 Ledaig 2004, Gordon & MacPhail, 55.5%, B:2017. Rating: 14/20 Ledaig Private Collection 2005, G&M, 45%, Bourbon finished in Hermitage Casks, 4100 b. Rating: 16/20 Hidden Spirits Ledaig 2007, 11 YO, Hidden Spirits, 52.2%, B:2019, c. LG719 Rating: 15/20 House of McCallum Ledaig 2007, 11 YO, House of McCallum, 46.5%, B:2019, cask 638-9 Rating: 14/20 Jack Wieber World of Whisky /Monnier Ledaig 2008 The Whisky Schiff, 10 YO, Monnier (JWWW), 53.30%, B:2018. Rating: 13/20 James MacArthur Ledaig 21 YO, James MacArthur, 54.2%, B: 1994 Rating: 17/20 Ledaig 1974, James MacArthur, 21 YO, 54.2% Rating: 16/20 Liquid Treasures Tobermory (Ledaig) 2008, Liquid Treasures, 59.9%, B:2018. Rating: 17/20 Sestante Ledaig 1973, 14 YO, Sestante, 40%, B: 1987 Rating: 17/20 Ledaig 1973, 14 YO, Sestante, 56.3%, B: 1987 Rating: 18/20 Signatory Ledaig 2001 for LMDW, 20 YO, Signatory, 58.8%, B :2022, cask 860106 Rating: 15/20 Ledaig 2004 Waldhaus am See,10 YO, Signatory, 46%, B:2015, c. 15/790, 418 b. Rating: 15/20 Ledaig 2004 Waldhaus am See, 10 YO, Signatory, 60.8%, B:2015, c. 900181, 300 b. Rating: 14/20 Ledaig 2004 Whisky Club Luxembourg, 10 YO, Signatory, 58%, B:2015, c. 900173 Rating: 12/20 Ledaig 2004, 10 YO, Signatory, 61.4%, c. 900171 Rating: 13/20 Ledaig 2005, 10 YO, Signatory, 54.6% Rating: 13/20 Ledaig 2005 For Taiwan, 10 YO, Signatory, 56.6%, B:2016, c. 900149, 616 b. Rating: 17/20 Ledaig 2005 Cellar Book for LMDW, Signatory, 56.6%, B:2017, c. 900155, 634 b. Rating: 15/20 Ledaig 2010 For Waldhaus Am See, 7 YO, Signatory, 46%, B:2017, c. 700383 Rating: 13/20 Ledaig 2007, 13 YO, Signatory, 59.7%, B:2020, c. 70550. Rating: 15/20 Ledaig 2011 Dreisatz / Ramseyer’s Whisky Connection Bordeaux finish after Ballechin, 10 YO, Signatory, 51.5%, B:2021, cask 17. Rating: 14/20 Ledaig 2011 for Hermann Brothers,10 YO, Signatory, 59.8%, B:2022, Port Cask. Rating: 13/20 Single Cask, The Ledaig 2008, 10 YO, The Single Cask, 58.5%, B:2018, c. 700076 Rating: 14/20 Single Malts of Scotland Ledaig 2001, 11 YO, Single Malts of Scotland, 56.8%, B:2016, c. 900161, 647 b. Rating: 17/20 Ledaig distilled at Tobermory 2005, 6 YO, Single Malts of Scotland, 56%, Rating: 15/20 Ledaig 2005, 12 YO, The Single Malts of Scotland, 54.8%, B:2017, c. 10071, 246 b. Rating: 12/20 Spirits Salon Ledaig 1997 Stealing Beauty, 20YO, Spirits Salon, 61.1%, B:2017, c. 800111, 120 b. Rating: 16/20 Whisky Cask Company, The Ledaig 1999, 17 YO, The Whisky Cask Company, 55%, B: 2016. Rating: 17/20 Whisky Exchange, The Ledaig 7 YO, The Whisky Exchange, 59.4%, B: 2013. Rating: 16/20 Wilson & Morgan Ledaig 1998, 18 YO, Wilson & Morgan, 62.7%, Rating: 16/20 Ledaig 2005, 12 YO, Wilson & Morgan, 57.9%, B:2018, C. 8000073-74, Sherry finish Oloroso, 587 b. Rating: 16/20 Whiskybase Ledaig 2005 Archives, 7 YO, Whiskybase, 62.8%, B:2013, c. 900092 Rating: 13/20 Whiskyfair Ledaig 1973, 33 YO, The Whisky Fair, 48%, B: 2006. 281 b. Rating: 17/20 Other Ledaig 1974, 27 YO, Private Cask, 51.3% Rating: 17/20 Tobermory
Official/original bottlings (OB) Age Tobermory 10 YO, OB, 46.3%, B: 2012. Rating: 10/20 Tobermory 15 YO, OB, 46.3%, B: 2008 Rating: 12/20 Tobermory Spanish Sherry Cask Finish Distillery Only, 20 YO, OB, 56.1%, B:2016. Rating: 13/20 Vintages Tobermory 1972, OB, 48.7%, 897 b. Rating: 15/20 Tobermory 1972 Private Stock for Moon Import, 33 YO, OB, 49%, 960 b. Rating: 17/20 No Age Specified (NAS)
Independent bottlings (IB) and undisclosed "Tobermoy" Acla Selection Tobermory 1995, 20 YO, Acla Selection, 48.4%, B:2015, c. 0342, 114 b. Rating: 15/20 Tobermory 1995, 23 YO, Acla Selection, 49.0%, B:2019 Rating: 14/20 Carn Mor Tobermory 2008 for World of Whisky, 14 YO, Carn Mor, 60.8%, B:2022 Rating: 14/20 Claxton's Tobermory 1994 The Single Cask, 24 YO, Claxton’s, 55.3%, B:2019 Rating: 16/20 First Editions, The Tobermory 1995, 16 YO, The First Editions, 54.1%, B: 2012. Rating: 14/20 Tobermory 1995, 18 YO, The First Editions, 51.9%, B:2014. Rating: 16/20 Jack Wiebers Whisky World (JWWW) Tobermory 1995 Old Train Line, 22 YO, JWWW, 44.3%, B:2018, 249 b. Rating: 14/20 Lombard Tobermory 1972 Jewels of Scotland, Lombard, 46%, B : 2004. Rating: 17/20 Moon Import Tobermory 1972 The Animals, Moon, 46%, B:2000, c. 1527-31 Rating: 16/20 Murray McDavid Tobermory 1995 Allier Wine Cask Benchmark, 20 YO, Murray McDavid, 46%, B:2015, cask 4. Rating: 13/20 Sansibar Tobermory 1994 The Clan, 23 YO, Sansibar, 57.9%, B:2017, 242 b. Rating: 16/20 Single Cask Collection Tobermory 1995, 17 YO, Single Cask Collection, 54.9%,B:2013. Rating: 16/20 Scotch Single Malt Circle Tobermory 1994, 20 YO, Scotch Single Malt Circle, 55.5%, B:2014, c. 5369 Rating: 13/20 Vallinch & Maillet Tobermory 1995, 22 YO, Valinch & Mallet, 51.5%, B:2017, cask 17-202, 124 b. Rating: 15/20 Whisky Doris Tobermory 1972 sherry, 34 YO, Whisky Doris, 49.5%, B: 2007. Rating: 18/20
