Occasionally, whiskies from a particular distillery reach new heights of critical acclaim with a particular vintage. For example, 1966 is considered one of the best vintages from Springbank Distillerywith bottles such as the Springbank 1966 Local Barley causing bidding wars at auction. The 1972 Brora whisky also receives high praise, as does the 1972 Ledaig whisky.
Serge Valentin of WhiskyFun rated the Ledaig 1972 18 Year Old James MacArthur 93 points in his tasting in 2005 and pointed out that many “malt maniacs” have a special affinity for this vintage. This week Scotch Whisky LegendsLet’s take a closer look at this Ledaig 1972 vintage – its history, tasting notes and auction prices.
Ledaig in 1972
Ledaig Distillery (or TobermoryLedaig (as it is called today) has a turbulent history. It was founded in 1798 by John Sinclair on the Isle of Mull in Scotland’s Inner Hebrides. After an initial good run, Ledaig was closed in 1837 and only reopened in 1878. The distillery then changed hands several times before becoming part of DCL’s portfolio in 1916. However, it was closed again in 1930.
After 42 years of silence, the Ledaig Distillery reopened in 1972 under the name Ledaig Distillery Ltd. This company was founded by a Liverpool shipping company and Spaniard Pedro Domecq. With a new owner, a limited company of the same name and a refurbishment with new stills, it felt like the start of a new era. But just three years later, the distillery closed again after its owner filed for bankruptcy. So Ledaig’s operations in the 1970s were severely limited. However, it seems that something magical happened there in 1972 that produced such fantastic vintage whiskies.
Enthusiastic fans of the Scotch Whisky legends will know that a few weeks ago I wrote about the Tobermory 1972 Moon Import De Viris Illustribus for this very series. The bottling may be under a different name (it was bottled in 1995 after the distillery was renamed), but both whiskies were produced in the same distillery in the same year. And both ended up on Serges’Winners list‘.
Let’s see what Serge thought of the 1972 Ledaig, bottled by James MacArthur in 1990.
Tasting notes by Serge Valentin for Ledaig 1972 18 years old James MacArthur
The Ledaig 1972 18 Year Old was bottled by James MacArthur in 1990. James MacArthur & Co has long been known for its understated labels featuring excellent whiskies, often from lesser-known or closed distilleries.
By the time Ledaig 1972 was bottled in 1990, Ledaig had been renamed Tobermory, but had fallen into inactivity after closing in 1982. With so many closures in such a relatively short period of time, it was assumed that this would be the end of Tobermory. The distillery was converted into holiday accommodation and cheese storage. Had this been the case, this whisky would have left Ledaig with an incredible legacy.
It is also worth noting that Ledaig produced both peated and unpeated varieties back then, using the same stills and production methods. Today, of course, Ledaig is exclusively the peated brand of Tobermory whisky.
Serge Valentin tried this whisky in 2005. Here is what he had to say:
“Another madman told me wonderful things about the 1972 Ledaigs and it’s true, I was quite enthusiastic about an “Old Brown Label” of G&M that we had on … Islay.
“Color: Straw. Nose: Wow, wonderfully peaty like Ardbeg 1974 or Brora 1972 (yes, we’re talking about vintages of whisky here). Very smoky, with a hint of wet stone and fresh pepper. Extremely clean, pure, almost austere and sharp like a blade, I love that. A hint of seltzer.
“Mouth: Incredible, it’s just like the very best old Ardbegs without sherry. Again very pure, sharp, clean, with a superb blend of smoke, peat and grapefruit juice. Great balance and some great peppery notes too.
“A breathtaking development on lemon seeds and a very long smoky finish.
“A perfect style, this one could compete with many Ardbeg Single Casks or Broras Rare Malts, OBs or Platinum – and I’m not sure what the results are if you do this ‘blind’. A stunning surprise: 93 points” – Serge Valentin, WhiskyFun.comSeptember 2005
Auction prices (or lack thereof…)
These bottles are rare. Very rare. Since its first appearance in December 2013, it has only been auctioned four times and most recently in October 2020 for 2,150 €.
If you have one in your closet, you’re sitting on liquid gold.
A brief history of the Tobermory Distillery
The Tobermory Distillery on the Isle of Mull in Scotland was founded in 1798 by John Sinclair. Originally named Ledaig, after the Gaelic name for the area, the distillery experienced several closures and changes of ownership throughout its history due to economic difficulties, wars and financial instability. Despite these challenges, it resumed production several times, reflecting its ability to recover and continue operations.
In 1972, the distillery reopened under the name Ledaig and focused on producing peated whisky, but financial problems led to another closure in 1975. In the 1990s, it reopened under the name Tobermory Distillery and today produces two main types of whisky: the unpeated Tobermory, known for its lighter character, and the peated Ledaig whisky.
In 2017, Tobermory closed for a two-year refurbishment to modernise its facilities. Today, it is one of Scotland’s oldest commercial distilleries, producing whisky using traditional methods whilst maintaining its historical significance within the whisky industry.
