Adelphi Ledaig 2022 Cask #5730 & Adelphi Glasgow 10yo (2016) Cask #845

Adelphi Ledaig 2022 Cask #5730

Region: Highlands

ABV: 58.8%

Price: £59.99

Distilled in 2022 and bottled in 2026 after 3 years of maturation, this heavily peated Ledaig from Tobermory was fully matured in a first fill Oloroso sherry hogshead. Outturn of 296 bottles.

Nose

The nose opens with meaty peat, initially bringing to mind burnt ends and smoky bacon crisps covered in gravy. Going back, we start to notice sweeter sherry notes like prunes. Nothing here suggests that this is only three years old. The alcohol is well integrated showing as a touch of pepper. Going back, there’s mint leaves, wafer thin smoked ham, orange rind and dry roasted peanuts.

Palate

The palate opens with charcoal from a barbecue, cigarette ash, prunes and pork drizzled in honey. There’s a touch of spice on the finish, but it’s not overpowering. Speaking of the medium length finish, there’s also some dark chocolate bitterness. The mouthfeel is good. It’s almost gritty, but also and we hate to say it kind of smooth.

Nose (with water)

Water has reduced the peat and increased the alcohol spice. It’s now more one-dimensional, with a lot of the pre-dilution notes having faded.

Palate (with water)

Like the nose, the palate hasn’t benefited from dilution. The mouthfeel has dimmed. The sweetness is more one dimensional. It’s a touch spicier initially, but with less spice on the finish. The finish remains medium in length.

Conclusion

It turns out age is just a number. This is incredibly balanced for a three year old. We’d have guessed eight years old or more. There’s great integration between the cask and spirit, producing a wonderful mix of flavours and aromas. It’s a dram that’s punching well above its weight.

Score: 7.5/10

Value

£60 for a cask strength whisky from Adelphi seems like a good deal to us.

Adelphi Glasgow 10yo (2016) Cask #845

Region: Lowlands

ABV: 58.1%

Price: £84.95

Distilled on the 1st January 2016 and bottled on the 1st January 2026 after 10 years of maturation, this unpeated Glasgow Distillery release was matured in a virgin oak hogshead. Outturn of 258 bottles.

Nose

The nose is Initially tight very tight and this benefits from a good amount of time in the glass. As we sit with it we start to notice notes of gingerbread, whipped cream, red cola, a touch of menthol, salted caramel, orange peel, vanilla extract, Norwegian fur, a mustiness and sour cherries. The alcohol is well integrated, showing as a little cinnamon spice.

Palate

The palate opens with crystallised ginger, barley sugars, Big Red gum, honey, sage, a mustiness and caramelised brown sugar. The mouthfeel is good. There’s a touch too much cinnamon spice on the medium length finish, but there’s a good amount of sweetness to help balance it out.

Nose (with water)

Water has brought out an intense dried wood note and some Manuka honey on the nose. There’s also a touch more orange rind. It’s not wildly different in terms of aromas, but as we sit with it, the sweeter notes are really starting to come to the fore. 

Palate (with water)

The mouthfeel has held up well to dilution. There’s now more honey, alongside notes of orange bitters and dark chocolate. The finish is still medium in length, but the spice now feels better balanced.

Conclusion

We’d personally add water, as it adds a little to both the nose and palate. There’s an interesting mix of flavours and aromas here; we’re just not sure it’s a 100% match for what we personally enjoy. That said, we can recognise it’s a great dram, and we’ll give it a technical score of 7.5.

Score: 7.5/10

Value

A little pricier than other 10-year-old releases from the distillery, but then Adelphi bottlings are usually a touch more expensive and a safer bet if you’re looking for quality.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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