Royal Lochnagar 12 Year (Game of Thrones-House Baratheon)

I remember the days when these Game Of Thrones expressions hit the market. The hype and prices were unreal, specially this expression of Royal Lochnagar 12yo "House Baratheon", which was one of the few i did not taste back then. And i really passed on it since it was one of the most expensive bottles of GOT (it was $250 and now goes for $75). This is my second Royal Lochnagar, the other one was the mainstream 12yo which i liked. Bottled at 40%abv, ambar color. On the nose, lots of woody aromas. Sawdust and old wood. Honey and a little cereal. Hazelnut, it feels powdery. Mostly woody on the nose. After a first sip, it released marshmallows and apples. On the palate, it is very simple. Thick apple syrup. Lots of oaky flavors and a decent honey sweetness. Aftertaste is boring. It is like licking a wood table. There is a mild oak spiciness. Tobacco. Overall this was a disaster. It is not awful nor off-putting, but it is like the most standard, normal, boring dram you can have. It feels like a honey syrup and nothing else. I don't even like using the "woody" and "oaky" notes in my reviews, but here those notes are unavoidable. For the price that this one originally was found, it feels like a scam for Whisky enthusiasts. My score for it is a terrible 60 over 100.

Nose- green apple jolly ranchers, oak, lemon zest, oranges Palate- oak, pineapple, lemon, smoky undertones Finish- Short, fruity finish with just a hint of smoke This is unique, there’s not denying that. But with that being said, it’s very one dimensional. All I get on the nose, palate and finish are tropical fruits and oak. Usually I love this combo accompanied by other smells and flavors, but when it’s just the two, it doesn’t quite work for me. Still an alright drinker, but very simple and forgettable.

Malty, grassy, floral nose. This is a fairly light whiskey- it's very grassy and floral. I get strong rose petals/floral, honey, lemon, with a bitter herb/grass aftertaste, but the floral and honey notes persist into the finish. The floral/honey elements are kinda surprising, as they are quite pronounced, and a bit unusual. This isn't particularly complex, but it's pleasantly drinkable.

Nice light copper color with a rich complex nose. The flavor isn’t as intense as the nose and color might suggest, but still nice. Basically a darker, richer and zestier version of a normal Highlands scotch. Mouthfeel is a notch or two below “creamy”, but definitely not “thin”. Fun to try, but maybe not worth the price? 3.77.

★★★½ La déception de la soirée. J'avais énormément d'attente pour ce whisky emblématique de la maison qui a renversé le "mad king". Je m'attendais à quelque chose de puissant, de coriace, de violent. Je commence sérieusement à penser que tout ceci est vraiment un gros coup de pub pour des whiskys ordinaires...

Light bodied, fruity, smooth, and clean. Got light fig and date flavor to it. Royal Lochnagar’s juice can be found in the higher end Johnnie walkers, so drinking this would definitely remind you some of the characters of JWs. Overall a pleasant daily dram.