The query “If you got the selection to drink whisky from just one distillery for the remainder of your life, what would you select?” (or alongside these traces) is requested by the whisky neighborhood occasionally. Common and fewer large distilleries and types like Laphroaig, Arran, Ardbeg, Bruichladdich and Springbank are a number of the few usually talked about. However, none of these are my reply, as mine is Loch Lomond.
I perceive why numerous customers say the distilleries above are their favorites. They will merely make good whisky. Most of their releases have assorted cask influences that may be thrilling. Nevertheless, after having tried no less than 400 completely different whisk(e)y expressions, over the span of 10 years I’ve come to understand that numerous Scotch matured or completed in ex-Oloroso sherry, ex-Pedro Ximenez and ex-Port casks are usually similar to one another.
This is applicable to a lot of the peated single malts and people with mild distillery DNA which might be simply doing any ex-wine cask maturations. By mild distillery DNA, I’m referring to these with made brief fermentation instances and utilizing shell and tube condensers, the place the distillery fashion could be very reliant on cask affect for taste. Certain, you’ll have the ability to inform them aside when you already know what you’re consuming. However attempt it in a blind tasting and your thoughts will likely be going ten completely different instructions. The place’s the enjoyable and selection in that?
In my thoughts, Loch Lomond is at the moment probably the most attention-grabbing Scottish distillery attributable to how versatile and assorted their merchandise are. In my chat with Loch Lomond’s Grasp Blender Michael Henry, he mentions that they use no less than three various kinds of yeast for his or her single malt.
Additionally they ferment their wash for no less than 4 days, which is no less than two days longer than most Scotch single malt distilleries. Keep in mind, longer fermentation means extra congeners. Extra congeners means extra taste. Apart from these, in addition they use conventional pot stills and the distinctive straight neck pot stills, whereas most different distilleries are likely to solely have one design and set of conventional pot stills.
Like Springbank and Bruichladdich, Loch Lomond makes three types of single malt. Although, Springbank and Loch Lomond are extra comparable to one another as they each make an unpeated, semi-peated, and closely peated single malt. Nevertheless, one factor the opposite two distilleries don’t do in the intervening time is produce their very own grain whisky. Loch Lomond has their very own in-house column stills (two sorts) to supply their very own grain whisky, which suggests they will promote them as single grains or mix them with their single malts to supply their very own blends.
Again within the day, this might need been categorized as a single blended Scotch, however this classification was taken away by the Scotch Whisky Affiliation (SWA) a couple of decade in the past. I feel the brand new rule now could be alongside the traces of: a blended Scotch can solely use a distillery’s identify if all of the whisky got here from the distillery.
I’ve already reviewed Loch Lomond’s Inchmurrin 12 beforehand, so I’ll simply be reviewing their 12 12 months outdated namesake and Inchmoan 12.
Loch Lomond 12 12 months outdated “Completely Balanced” – Evaluate
46% ABV. £39.95 from The Whisky Alternate. USD $58 regionally.
Coloration: Honey.
On the nostril: Balanced, certainly. Initially, I get a lightweight however enveloping aroma of smoke. After which might be mild to medium aromas of honey, caramel-covered Fuji apples, starfruit, cedar, peppers, toffee, cereals, and kiwi fruit
Within the mouth: Much like the nostril, however the order of notes is completely different. The sunshine and enveloping smoke continues to be there. Upfront, I get extra kiwi fruit, starfruit, and caramel-covered inexperienced apples. After them are mild to medium tastes of honey, toffee, cereal, cedar, vanilla, and fudge with cream on prime.
Conclusions:
The very best phrases to explain this whisky could be balanced, advanced, and stuffed with layers. This acts like a mature whisky for its age. Most 12 12 months outdated whiskies we get right now are often favoring just a few flavors. Whereas others are virtually undistinguishable or simply there for assist. However, all of the flavors listed here are as pronounced as one another, and final simply as lengthy.
Much like the Springbank 10, this isn’t one thing meant for rookies, since there aren’t any dominant flavors or any flavors that bounce out on this.
An important single malt for the value. Hopefully, this will likely be one thing the extra skilled and choosy drinkers will flock to, with the value and high quality making this a steal.
Rating: 7/10
(8 when utilizing TWE value)
Loch Lomond Inchmoan 12 12 months Previous “Smoke and Spice” – Evaluate
46% ABV. £39.95 from The Whisky Alternate. USD $64 regionally.
Coloration: e150.
On the nostril: Spicy, creamy, and darkish fruits. I initially get pretty lasting sensations (for the age assertion) that make me consider peppercorns, herbs and peat. All-in-all, it’s like a mixture of Japanese nori paste, thyme, rosemary, pink peppercorns, and smoke. After these welcoming notes are mild notes of honey, cereals, toffee, vanilla, and caramel-covered apples.
Within the mouth: Much less spicy right here, however the earthiness is extra pronounced. The Japanese nori paste is livelier. There are additionally bits of alfalfa, inexperienced tea, smoke, peat, and bacon. Mild to medium tastes of pepperiness, smoke honey, toffee, vanilla, cereals, caramel-covered Fuji apples, bacon fats, and extra nori. There’s an enduring and nice mixture of toffee, honey, cereals and Fuji apples, type of like letting a liquified granola bar combined with apple juice sit in your tongue.
Conclusions:
This isn’t as advanced and as layered because the Loch Lomond 12, however I feel that’s fairly unavoidable with the heavier peat. Whereas being designated because the distillery’s closely peated fashion, peat heads gained’t take into account this as peaty as the favored Islay single malts like Laphroaig and Ardbeg.
Don’t take this remark as a knock in direction of the model. Apart from Loch Lomond attempting to realize one thing completely different, Highland peat is simply completely different from Islay peat. In reality, I feel utilizing peat whereas balancing extra flavors round it’s a tougher activity than simply making a whisky extra interesting by way of making it extra peaty. Simply take a look at how Highland Park’s Viking rebranding took away the fragile character they used to have.
Just like the Lomond 12, this can be a steal. For those who’re a peathead seeking to get pleasure from extra flavors apart from peat, give this a attempt. You’ll be amazed whereas additionally saving cash. Dare I say this can make you moan with pleasure.
Rating: 7/10
(8 when utilizing TWE value)
