Loch Lomond 18 year old

(Loch Lomond cluster homepage)

After having consumed plenty of Loch Lomond's twelve-year-old, I was excited to try more of this improved, fruity, unique spirit. Unfortunately my options were a bit limited here in the USA since my favorite European sellers promptly cut off shipping to The States once Covid went wild. The 17 year old cask strength Organic bottling was of particular interest, but that one went bye-bye.  At ~90USD the 18 year old also intrigued me, but I waited until a sample could be sourced. I'm glad I didn't have to wait too long!

Like Loch Lomond 12, the 18 is aged entirely in American oak casks; though also like the 12, the type of casks aren't specified. Hoggies? Barrels? New oak? First-fill? Eighth-fill? The 12 seemed like refills, which worked very well for it. For the purposes of this review, the 12 served as the 18's sparring partner.

Distillery: Loch Lomond
Style: Loch Lomond
Owner: Loch Lomond Distillery Company
Region: Highlands (Western)
Age: at least 18 years
Maturation: American oak casks
Alcohol by Volume: 46%
Chillfiltered? No
e150a? Not much if any
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

A pleasant mix of ocean brine, pears, peaches and flower kiss candy greets the nose first. It gradually settles onto a base of barley, Fritos(!) and toasted granola. Limes, kiwi and lychee arrive first in the palate, but it feels flat and thin. It gets a little bit peppery. Then the tannins arrive. And neutral spirit. In early sips, the finish has the palate's fruits, but it becomes more acidic, tannic and ashier in later sips.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Loch Lomond 18 year old reads like a fatter version of grain whisky, but it still has a single grain's limitations, thus the flatness and inability to hold back the oak's onrush. This doesn't bother the nose, as the 18 smells very pretty, but the palate and finish gradually fall apart. With that developing note of neutral spirit + tannin, the whisky gives the impression that it will devolve into Kessler after an hour on the glass. It's not even close, the 12 wins.

Availability - Available in Europe and North America
Pricing - $70-$100
Rating - 78 (though that might be generous)

Things I Really Drink: Loch Lomond 12 year old

(Loch Lomond cluster homepage)

There are TIRDs, and then there are TIRDs. This is a real TIRD. I went through three bottles of Loch Lomond 12 year old over an 18 month period. And I don't "go through three bottles" of anything ever, except when I was in my Power's phase one decade ago.

After being genuinely shocked by the quality of a LL12 sample in 2019, I sought out a bottle in 2020. And sure enough it arrived in local OHLQ stores. As a gift pack with Inchmoan 12 and Inchmurrin 12 minis. For $29.99. The Covid Era was just beginning and this seemed like proper apocalypse whisky, so I bought three gift packs. This is why I had all of those Inchmoan and Inchmurrin minis, and this is why my daughters have three large blue caskets for their small stuffies.

As per the picture, I'm reviewing the green glass version of the 12. The owners changed the packaging yet again in 2021, so the bottle you'll see in stores now is made of clear glass and the label font is different.

Distillery: Loch Lomond
Style: Loch Lomond
Owner: Loch Lomond Distillery Company
Region: Highlands (Western)
Age: at least 12 years
Maturation: American oak casks
Bottling date: 14/08/2019
Alcohol by Volume: 46%
Chillfiltered? No
e150a? Not much if any
(from my third bottle)

NOTES

The nose begins with a waft of fermenting white fruits. Citrons, oats, wet stones and whole wheat bread crust arrive next. Hints of pilsner, cocoa and almond extract highlight the background. Malt fills the palate's foreground, with a lively bitterness and moderate sweetness around the edges. Lemons gradually take over, with wisps of wood smoke and flowers in the back. It finishes with zesty, bitter citrus, malt, ginger and a little extra sweetness.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

As I noted three years ago, "Leave Loch Lomond neat and it will kick Glenfiddich 12's and Glenlivet 12's asses all around the block." And that's just the palate. The nose has a heft, quirk and complexity not found in $30 whiskies anywhere anymore. But the whisky's performance in a highball is what really made the liquid disappear from my bottles. Yes, a single malt highball. The 46%abv and lack of filtration boosted the whisky to stand up boldly to club soda, ice, bitters, and any sort of garnish. This Loch Lomond 12 year old was a joy and a surprise, and I look forward to trying the newest version as well.

Availability - Widely available, but probably with the new packaging
Pricing - $30-$40
Rating - 86

Things I Really Drink: Croftengea 10 year old 2006 Exclusive Malts, cask 485

(Loch Lomond cluster homepage)

Just a reminder, I do indeed try to purchase whiskies I've reviewed. Well, I did. International shipping has become impractical or nonexistent, and prices are......a spectator sport.

But here's a whisky I tried more than three years ago and, after enjoying its filthy style, I bought a bottle, a bottle that was opened this month in honor of the Loch Lomond cluster. The baby of this week's Croftengea trio, this TIRD whisky did indeed make it into the double-digit age range, spending a decade in a generous hogshead (judging by the outturn).

This review is of the fourth and fifth pours, still in the upper third of the bottle.

Distillery: Loch Lomond
Style: Croftengea
Owner: Loch Lomond Distillery Company (Hillhouse Capital Group)
Region: Highlands (Western)

Bottler: Creative Whisky Company
Range: Exclusive Malts

Age: 10 years (22 March 2006 to April 2016)

Maturation: a happy hogshead?
Cask #: 485
Outturn: 302

Alcohol by Volume: 56.7%

(from my bottle)

NEAT

Firstly, the color is much lighter than the filtered photo shows. I'll call it light gold. Cold kiln, rotting seaweed and broiled eel hit the nose first. Mmmmm. Then pear, orange peel, cassia and winter wood stoves. Savory + Sweet + Soot perform in unison in the palate, with lots of lime juice around the edges. Then pear juice mixed with chipotle Tabasco sauce. It gets meatier and mintier with time. It finishes with pear, lime, mint candy and lots of salt.

DILUTED to ~46%abv, or 1⅓ tsp water per 30mL whisky

The nose begins similarly. Then the fruit notes drift towards floral notes. More cinnamon, a hint of wood glue. Things get slightly flintier. The palate gets simpler, sweeter, though there's still plenty of charred meat and peppery smoke. It finishes sweet and tangy, with mild kiln notes.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

My notes differ quite a bit from those I typed 3+ years ago. The whisky reads less odd now, or maybe I am odder. That's not impossible. But from the first moment of the first pour it's clear that a great-but-not-amazing Croftengea is a legitimate alternative to the more popular Islay peat monsters, and preferable to some of them. I'm going to repeat myself here, but......if the official Loch Lomond 12yo (46%abv) can sell for $30-$35, how about a Croftengea 12yo? It could even have a 50% premium, pointing to a $45-$55 tag, and I'd buy two bottles, in lieu of Ardbeg 10 and Laphroaig 10.

Sorry, I've strayed from the review. For my face, this whisky works better at full power. The palate isn't particularly complex but it's very well balanced and would drink much better in November than May. This is young, hardy stuff with plenty of spirit, but it's neither raw nor par-baked. And the price was right, back in the day.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - it was less than $80 with shipping included
Rating - 86

Croftengea 15 year old 2002 SMWS 122.21

(Loch Lomond cluster homepage)

Sherry cask Croftengea is unknown territory for me. Fortified wine and aggressive peat often don't dance well, but when they do the result can be fabulous. SMWS had a solid approach with this whisky. The Croftengea spirit spent its first four years in a bourbon barrel, then its next 11 in a second-fill sherry barrel. Then again, there are second-fill sherry casks and there are second-fill sherry casks. Lemme see...

Distillery: Loch Lomond
Style: Croftengea
Owner: Loch Lomond Distillery Company (Hillhouse Capital Group)
Region: Highlands (Western)

Bottler: Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Age: 15 years (16 April 2002 - early 2018?)
Maturation: 4 years in bourbon barrel + 11 years in 2nd fill sherry cask

Cask: 122.21 - "What's cooking?"
Outturn: 220 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 56.8%
(from a bottle split)

NEAT

The nose begins with grilled pork ribs and new sneakers, followed by orange peel, marzipan, Andes candies and vanilla bean. Salty barbecue pork, cocoa powder and grapefruit arrive first in the palate. Then there's ink, Thai chiles, tangerines and smoked almonds. A flawless balance of peat and sweet. Dried cherries join the pork in the finish above a swirl of savory, salt, smoke and sweet, with a squeeze of lime.

DILUTED to ~46%abv, or 1⅓ tsp water per 30mL whisky

Dusty smoke blankets baking chocolate, coffee ground, blueberry juice and toffee in the nose. That smoke needs time to build in the palate. Lemons, horseradish, smoked almonds and a smoky porter fill in the rest. It finishes like a cigar and a glass of porter, with dried berries on the side.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Another terrific SMWS Loch Lomond! Priming Croftengea in a bourbon barrel, then pouring it into a moderate 2nd-fill sherry-season vessel did indeed do the trick. At this rate, I might need to stop making fun of that bottler. Or not. At least the name, "What's cooking?", sort of works, with all the pork, nuts, fruits and chiles. The nose and palate are pristine, and the finish elicits monosyllabic nonsense from the drinker. I cannot ask for anything more.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - less than $100 four years ago

Rating - 90 

Croftengea 16 year old 2005 The Whisky Trail, cask 272

(Loch Lomond cluster homepage)

I wish Croftengea received its own official 12 year old release alongside its three sibling malts, Inchmurrin, Inchmoan and Loch Lomond. It's often the hardiest, heaviest and dirtiest of the distillery's whiskies. Meanwhile Ballechin, Ledaig and Port Charlotte have frequently had more success than their own distilleries' unpeated whiskies.

So how about it, Hillhouse? No? Well, I'm glad we had this constructive talk.

This Croftengea Week will go backwards, from the oldest of the three whiskies to the youngest. Today's single malt was released within the past year, which is kinda out of character for this blog.

Distillery: Loch Lomond
Style: Croftengea
Owner: Loch Lomond Distillery Company (Hillhouse Capital Group)
Region: Highlands (Western)
Bottler: Elixir Distillers

Range: The Whisky Trail
Age: 16 years (28 February 2005 - 13 April 2021)
Maturation: ???

Cask #: 272
Outturn: ???
Alcohol by Volume: 56.2%
(from a bottle split)

NEAT

The nose leads with heavy, fishy, seaweed-y peat, with wet sand, Vegemite and ripe brie. Oh yeah, that's the stuff. But wait, there are also toasted oak spices, limes, honey and peaches in the background. The palate starts in a similar manner with antiseptic, menthol and heavy industrial smoke. Cynar amaro and tart limes in the midground, ginger beer and sweet citrus in the background. It finishes with that big dark smoke, Cynar and tart limes.

DILUTED to ~46%abv, or 1⅓ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

Somehow the nose gets wilder. Add some horse manure to the peat. Lots of beach notes. Brie and grapefruit. It's alive. The palate has become intensely bitter, which works will with all the tart citrus, and a hint of ginger candy, all of which sits on a pillow of seaweed peat. Peated oranges finishes it off.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I would gladly choose this style over nearly everything coming from Islay today. It is zany (and probably technically imperfect) whisky, but it's a delightful twist on brawny peat. That this still thunders after 16 years makes me hope indie bottlers are holding onto some casks to see what happens as Croftengea ages another decade. And may those casks let the spirit live, like it does in this whisky.

Availability - I think it's still around in Europe
Pricing - €110?
Rating - 89

Mathilda Malt: Littlemill 29 year old 1988 Old Malt Cask for K&L Wine Merchants

As noted on Monday, I've always celebrated my older daughter's birthday with pours of Littlemill single malt. This year it was one pour, and few Littlemill samples remain. Thankfully, my sample stash is properly stocked with special items, like this week's Ledaig and Craigduff.

This year's Littlemill was from a refill hoggie bottled for K&L Wine Merchants in California. At 29 years old, it's the oldest Littlemill I've ever tried. I loved the 25yo K&L exclusive I sipped last year. Hope this is another good one!

Distillery: Littlemill

Region: Lowlands

Independent Bottler: Hunter Laing

Range: Old Malt Cask

Age: 29 years (November 1988 - 2018)

Maturation: refill hogshead
Cask #: HL 15208
Outturn: 144 bottles

Exclusive to: K&L Wine Merchants

Alcohol by Volume: 55.8%

Chillfiltered? No
e150a? No

(from a bottle split)

NEAT

The nose is a bit closed, though it does start off with some lemon, oregano, juniper and vanilla. It picks up small doses of rosewater, nectarines and coconut with time. The palate is herbal and fruity: nectarines, citrus blossoms, thyme, oregano and cayenne. It finishes floral and peppery with hints of brown sugar and limes.

DILUTED to ~46%abv, or 1¼ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

Lemme see if this opens it up. Well, the nose is less herbal, less floral, simpler overall. But I do get some nice barley notes in the midground. The palate feels thicker and brighter, with the nectarine and cayenne pepper playing very well together. It finishes sweeter and simpler, possibly hotter.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Aside from a few nose moments, the oak was nearly silent. Huzzah! But at the same time, spirit wasn't very talkative. No actual flaws, just sort of quiet and modest. Also a bit forgettable when compared to this week's Mathilda Malt mates. Though I'd normally not recommend tinkering with a whisky of advanced age, this one may play best after some extended dilution experiments. So if you have this bottle open, and it's not doing much for you, water it down, carefully.

Where do I go from here? After this modest malt, Croftengea crashes in next week!

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - $250, three years ago
Rating - 85 (diluted)

Mathilda Malt: Craigduff 33 year old 1973 Signatory, cask 2515

Time for another 1973, just because!

Glen Keith was Seagram's laboratory of fun during much of the distillery's early existence, producing various malt styles for the company's blends. Somehow Andrew Symington of Signatory was able to get his mitts on casks of the Glenisla and Craigduff styles. Per Symington, the Craigduff spirit was made from lightly peated barley and had "concentrated peated water" added to its wash charges. I tried and enjoyed one Glenisla two years ago, and look forward to this Craigduff curio.

Distillery: Glen Keith
Type: Craigduff
Ownership: Pernod Ricard (previously, Seagram's)
Independent Bottler: Signatory
Region: Speyside (Moray)
Age: 33 years (4 April 1973 - 16 August 2006)
Maturation: refill sherry butt
Cask#: 2515
Outturn: 371 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 47.5%
Chillfiltered? No
e150a? No
(from a bottle split)

NEAT

The nose? Dunnage and mango. Do we really need any other notes? Okay, if you insist. There's also pipe tobacco and a chocolatey smoke that sits somewhere between Nesquik and Godiva milk chocolate. Honey and lemon glide around the edges. After an hour it shifts to dark chocolate, mint and strawberry Nesquik. Dunnage leads in the palate, followed by a bold bitterness mixing with limes and grapefruit. Then gravel and raw walnuts. Hints of soil, brine and palo santo smoke. It finishes with the grapefruit, raw walnuts, salt, and savory.

DILUTED to ~43%abv, or >½ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

I'm going easy with the water here due to the whisky's advanced age and low abv. Thankfully, the water doesn't ruin things. York peppermint patties, pipe tobacco and chalk dust arrive first in the nose, followed by guava and lemon bars, with a little bit of smoked salmon in the background. The palate reads tangy, bitter, and sweet in even measures, with raw nuts and strawberry candy featuring. The finish matches the palate all the way down to the strawberry candy.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

In my favorite 2022 tasting to date, I tried this alongside the '73 Ledaig. Pure sensory pleasure, these whiskies are from a different era, perhaps several whisky generations ago. It's a tragedy that 99.99% of Craigduff was lost to blends like 100 Pipers (barf, in particular), but again I'm very thankful that Signatory rescued some casks. It would be interesting to see a contemporary distillery (Glen Keith, perhaps?) try this out. Different still shapes, fermentation times, and spirit cuts would result in additional variants. How about it, Loch Lomond?

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - I cannot bear to look
Rating - 90