And finally, we come to the end of this series of reviews dedicated to cask finishes. I will review the Ledaig Sinclair series Rioja cask to close things off. And while I am at it, I am going to try it side by side with the Ledaig 10, the same one I reviewed just over a year ago. Back then, it left me somewhat disappointed. But I believe in second chances.
TL:DR: A very cask-leaning Ledaig, fun but a little confused.
Score*: 6/10, good stuff
The series that never was…
The Sinclair Series, launched in 2020 and named after the founder of Lediag distillery, John Sinclair, is definitely an oddball. It’s an oddball for being a series made of a single bottling, at least as of spring 2025. The fact that Tobermory distillery sells other bottlings in a very similar packaging, like the current 9 yo Bordeaux cask special release, makes it even odder. I have heard gossip that the distillery almost immediately regretted the “Sinclair Series” choice, as there were no real plans to follow up. Be that as it may, it does seem this Rioja will stand alone, at least for some time.
It is a shame, as it would have been intriguing to have a series of affordably priced Ledaig in various cask finishes. Perhaps that is where the issue lies. While standard releases like the Rioja cask and the 10-year-old remain affordable, the Ledaig special releases have been on the pricier side for some time. Take the Triple Wood release, an NAS sold at £95/€117 (from the distillery’s own store), just like the 9-year-old Bordeaux cask-finished Ledaig I mentioned earlier. This is not unique to Tobermory, but shared with the other distilleries in CVH’s portfolio: Bunnahabhain and Deanston. It is great that they keep their entry-level bottles (and the notable exception of the Bunna 12 Cask Strength) affordable, but their special releases seem to have embraced premiumisation in the worst way possible for whisky aficionados.
But enough of the negative. Let’s move to the review of the Ledaig Sinclair Series Rioja and the 10 year old, two examples of great quality for the price.
Ledaig Sinclair Series Rioja
Specs
Price paid: €44.90
Lot: 21259 (16/9/2021)
ABV: 46.3%
Natural colour: Yes (but not on the label)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Casks Used:Ex-Bouron finished in Rioja casks
Tasting Notes
Colour: A coppery onion skin colour, closer to rosè wine than whisky. Those must be some fresh and active Rioja casks to give so much tint to the whisky. On a separate note: we know Ledaig doesn’t add caramel colour and the website says so, but why not add it to the bottle with the no-chill filtration info?
Note: Starts off with pepper, maritime peat, and a touch of the lactic character typical of Ledaig. And then the Rioja cask influence takes front stage: grapes, raspberry gummy candy, some cinnamon, a touch of rose petals. Then some beef stock cube, and a little rubber and pencil shavings. It’s all fun and pleasant, but it feels more like two flavours layered on top of each other than a single marriage of aromas.
Taste: The mouthfeel is impressive considering the relatively low ABV. Medium, but with a lovely oily texture. The taste is simpler than the nose led by barley sugar, smoky peat (more woody than on the nose), vanilla and pepper. Then some red fruit sweetness, cooked strawberries and cherries, and a little cinnamon.
The finish is medium-short with a touch of maritime saltiness, red fruit, vanilla and a moderate peatiness.
Score*: 6, good stuff
A fun whisky for sure. The nose has a lovely complexity, but most of the time it feels like two separate whiskies, a classic peated Ledaig with a heavily red wine-cask influenced spirit, coexisting. The palate is simpler, with the cask fruit taking away some of that Ledaig spirit character. And even if I am not 100% convinced Tobermory manages to pull this one off, it is fully worth its current price. If it was sold at the level of the newer special releases, I’d be a lot less pleased.
* Scores are based on the scoring scale used by Dramface, slightly modified to allow half-points
Ledaig 10 year old
(Re-review: Check the original review here)
Specs
Price paid: 50€
Lot: L5 1802 22193
ABV: 46.3%
Natural colour: Yes. (Not stated on the bottle but on the website)
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Casks Used: Ex-Bourbon casks exclusively
Tasting Notes
Colour: Pale gold. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a significant proportion of refill ones.
Nose: Bright and clean. It is not as complex as the Rioja, but better for it. I smell white fruit, maritime notes, some just slightly medicinal peat, vanilla, some wet pebbles, pepper, a light touch of that lactic character and lemon syrup. It comes together beautifully, proof that simple doesn’t mean worse.
Taste: It has a pleasing, rich texture. The taste is first briny and peaty, Sea spray, woodsmoke and a touch of phenolic punch. It then steers towards cereal notes and some caramel and vanilla sweetness.
The finish is medium-long, almost salty, with a touch of lactic note, peat, lemon, and just a little ginger spice
Score*: 7, very good stuff
Compared to my original review, this has opened up beautifully. My main criticism, a year ago, was that it felt like the aromas and flavours in this bottle had been dialled down, giving glimpses of quality but not expressing at their best. After a year in the bottle, this has evolved, gained more aromatic power and now lives up to the reputation of Ledaig.
* Scores are based on the scoring scale used by Dramface, slightly modified to allow half-points
A side-by-side comparison
The Ledaig Rioja is nothing if not divisive. I know fellow drinkers who swear by it and like it more than the 10-year-old, a true community favourite in its own right. Similarly, I know others who absolutely hate it and consider it one of the worst expressions of Ledaig: all cask and no distillery identity.
After my side-by-side tasting, repeated twice for good measure, I fall somewhere in between the two camps with a light leaning towards the doubters. Is the Ledaig Sinclair Series Rioja I described in this review a terrible whisky? Absolutely not. It does, however, lack the crisp spirit character and crisp flavours which I find in the 10-year-old. It reminds me of a tasty dish, but one which has been made with too many ingredients: it is still pleasant, but you know it would be so much better if the cook had understood that less can be more.
Interested in my take on a specific whisky style? Check the full Journey here and jump to the relevant Chapter.
After writing my tasting notes, I always find it interesting to look at other opinions. Here are a few other reviews of Ledaig Sinclair Series Rioja I enjoyed:
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