Loch Lomond 18yo...

Loch Lomond 18yo (46.0%): It wouldn't be an understatement to say that Loch Lomond Group has been one of the high-fliers of past couple of years in this industry. We saw some truly outstanding releases from both of their distilleries, Glen Scotia and Loch Lomond and they surely don't look like slowing down. What I am about to pour today is the 18yo expression from Loch Lomond's core range and it is blended from both peated and unpeated whiskies distilled in their rare Lomond stills.

Color: Polished brass, fortified white wine color with a thin ring of tiny beads of teardrops which very slowly turn into oily legs running down.

Nose: Grain notes hit first: Breakfast cereals, dry malt and oatmeal. Then the plasticky notes follows which I am actually quite familiar with from heavily peated Loch Lomond distillates also labeled as Croftenga from time to time: Ziploc bags, candle smoke and party balloons. Garden hose and mineral water. Milk chocolate, pipe tobacco and wet concrete.

Palate: Very spirit forward... Eucalyptus drops, young jenever and lemon twist. Plastic notes are definitely present on the palate as well: Plastic spray bottles, canned peaches and toasted wood. Damson plum jam, mint Jello and white tea.

Finish: Medium long with soot, fresh sage leaves and peppermint.

Overall: I really liked how distillate forward it is for an 18 year old whisky... It is a style I personally enjoy a lot and something we don't see very often except from independent bottlers as single cask releases. To be honest I love all the characteristics of Loch Lomond's peated spirit... It stays a little untamed even at older ages, it's minty, synthetic and grainy. And on top of everything like any other Loch Lomond expression it's priced amazingly well.

Price: $80

86/100