Loch Lomond 12 Year

I had Loch Lomond 12 for the first time maybe seven years back, and I liked it. It was a decent 12-Year Peated scotch that I could get for about $35 and always thought of it, along with Speyburn 10, as the best kind of the under-$40 budget scotches you could find. Recently, I’ve seen a few of the people I follow here and have a great deal of respect for giving a low opinion of it, and I thought, uh-oh, maybe I was wrong. If I was wrong I was three bottles and about $80 down because when this went on clearance in my area, I picked up three bottles for $27 each. This was on a record day for me. This was post-pandemic (sort of) when my office opened back up for us to come and get our stuff to bring home for those of us who had opted to become permanent work-from-homers. My office was in downtown Philadelphia, and before I headed into the city, I mapped out all the stores that still had bottles of Lomond 12 left. In the end, I parked off South Street and did my office cleanout and shopping on foot and logged about 50,000 steps in one day according to my Garmin watch (still a record for me). Now, I didn’t crack any of those three bottles right away. In fact, it’s been almost two years they’ve been sitting in my cabinet, but I decided recently I was in the mood to taste it again. I feared the worst, feared that the reviews I’d read saying this wasn’t very good would turn out to be right, and well, different strokes for different folks, I guess. I’m not saying this is a whisky to rock your work and write home about because it’s blown your mind, but at $27 a bottle, this is certainly serviceable. The smoke is present on the nose along with a pleasant orchard fruit aroma making it a nice dram to drink next to a fire pit. I can see how there’s a certain underlying taste to the palate that’s slightly off in a sort of artificial sweetener type way like someone’s switched your sugar for stevia in your coffee (not sure how apt that is as a comparison because like many whisky drinkers, I have my coffee black), but it’s not so bad that (at $27) it would ruin the experience entirely and there’s still enough smoke, pear, and honey on the palate that I can willfully ignore it. Another thing I find particularly strange is that there’s a hint of sherry-finishing though it isn’t finished in sherry casks but three types of American oak bourbon barrels. It’s got a bit of chocolate in it too as it edges toward its medium-length finish, and I’d venture so far as to say that what it reminds me a lot of is a poor man’s version of the Benriach Smoky Twelve. That bottle is significantly better than this but it also costs almost three times as much as you might expect from a whisky of higher quality. Overall, I can concede to seeing how this wouldn’t be someone’s favorite, and if you’re paying anywhere above $40 for this, you’re going to find better whiskies and might want to opt for them, but I enjoy this and will certainly be finishing the two other bottles I scored on clearance at some point in the future, though I’m also in no rush to get to them. I’ve have the NAS Loch Lomond last year and again, at the price point, it wasn’t bad. I’m hearing good things about this year’s Open Lomond which is finished in Rioja barrels and given that that bottle is $50, I might take a chance if I can’t find anything else I’m looking to gamble on at that price point. Don’t think I’ve ever had something finished in Rioja.

I saw a three pack of 50 ml samplers for AUD$30. Thought, why not. Original was last night and an ok enough start. Now the 12 and 18 later in the week. N: An instant hit of generic berries but as if delivered in a leather pouch. Undertones of crisp orchard fruits (pear or apple, I don’t know) and perhaps a little vanilla but more towards a custardy vanilla. P: Another generic flavour up front, this time brown sugar, but almost instantly followed by a wave of burning. Is there a little toffee fullness that carries a vanilla for a fraction of a moment between sugar and heat? I don’t know, my mouth hurts. I’m sad. The initial hit is pretty oily but also full. It’s short lived for the heat wave. Did I mention I’m sad. The heat is all chilli. Nothing good here. F: Drying and tart, possibly with a little peaty-iodine twang? I’m still sad. Raw, and fails to deliver from an acceptable nose. Rating a whisky is indeed subjective. Certainly personal preference and bias impart heavily on an opinion in this space. That said, even things I’m not a huge fan of I can recognise as good or with merit. I don’t believe that to be the case here. I think this is objectively badly made. The nose is redeeming, but the palate and finish are aggressively raw. Some raw whiskies are like a white water rafting experience, hectic and ferocious but enjoyable. This is like having my mouth set on fire; sadness. The trajectory from NAS to 12 does not bode well for 18 later in the week. (Nariokotome boy [H. ergaster] in picture because thats just how I roll). Distiller whisky taste #89

Nose: Light smoke, stewed pair and a hint of vanilla Palate: Guava jam, honey dew, a touch of pepper, wisp of smoke and soft vegetal peat Finish: Guava, black licorice with light peat on back of the palate. The finish is long. When I initially opened this bottle, I was on the fence about whether I liked it or not. It seemed a bit of all over the place, slightly smoky with some unusual fruit flavours; guava jam, honey dew, cantaloupe with a touch of anise and pepper on the finish. If I would have reviewed it based on the first couple of pours it would have gotten a score of 3.5. The bottle has now been opened for 7 months and is just below the halfway mark. That time has done a great job of allowing these seemingly disparate flavours to gel together and come to a pleasant harmonious balance. I'm sure my palate has also learned to enjoy this oddball whisky over that time. This is so not your typical Highland scotch. If I were tasting this blind, I would probably guess it was a Campbeltown? Makes me curious about Loch Lomond's other offerings. Overall, I'm impressed by the layers of unique flavours presented in this very affordable single malt and how well they work together. I would absolutely buy this again but it's not a scotch I would recommend to someone who's just getting started on their whisky journey.

N: pleasant ripe orchard fruits, honey, caramel, light touch of vanilla, cereal notes, light wisp of peaty smoke, unfortunately has a perfume characteristic as little to close to paint fumes for me that overlays the entire nose. Not a fan of that and a little disappointed. Distracts from what it’s supposed to offer for sure. Perhaps a bad batch? T: a nice fruity and smoky mix, hint of baking spices, a little earthiness, some grassy herbal notes, nice barrel spices, peppery on the finish, perfume note is present but not as bad as what the nose gives. Overall, disappointed. Just having trouble with that perfume or paint fume characteristic I’m getting. If that wasn’t there, it’s pretty solid otherwise.

Nose - initially reminded me of tequila in a weird way, got better as the bottle went on with a nutty malt, sugary fruit Taste - rather smooth and sweet with smoke and a bit of tobacco Finish - not too long, easy here with oak Score - 3.25, nose is not that great at first but got better, taste is the winner on this one Scoring Legend 5.0 - Outstanding, unmatched to others 4.5 - Excellent, I will always keep a bottle in stock if possible 4.0 - Very good, quite enjoyable to drink, can consider as a solid choice 3.5 - Good, would taste again 3.0 - Average 2.5 - Acceptable, still drinkable 2.0 - Inferior, able to drink but not enjoyable 1.5 and below—wouldn’t drink again unless I am desperate

A bold, Single Malt Scotch by Master Blender Michael Henry for Loch Lomond Distillery in Highlands, Scotland crafted with both Straight Neck and Swan Neck stills, that is then aged for 12 years in 3 types of American Oak casks—bourbon, refill & re-charred before being bottled at 46% ABV. It has an aromatic birth with notes of grain, wood, fruits, nuts, herbs & spices; while a rich & complex life adds notes of baked apple turnover, peach, pear, yellow plum & brown sugar; that led to a long, bold & slightly drying death with notes of oak, vanilla, five-spice & campfire smoke.