There is a rule of design where you put the most valuable information closer to the top-left as most people look there first (obviously our Arabic or Japanese readers would disagree among others). As such we too could not ignore the elephant that is is apparently the official spirit for golf, the King’s Game, or as we call it – a good walk spoiled. (One of our reviewers does occasionally golf, but we’re not sorry)
Now we don’t actually have a problem with Golf the game, but more the culture it breeds, and that is one of snobbish and ‘holier than thou’ ness which we often deride. This whiskey, however, leans into this with every fiber of its literature (see below)
What they Say: “Bottle Back: This exquisite 12-Year-Old Single Malt has a deep fruity character of peach and pear layered with a vanilla sweetness and the characteristic hints of peat and smoke found in Loch Lomond Whiskies. Aged in three types of cask – bourbon, refill and re-charred, these whiskies are brought together delivering a perfectly balanced single malt under the watchful eye of Master Distiller Michael Henry. Loch Lomond 12 Year Old is non-chill filtered, to keep things as nature intended.
Box Back: Since 1814 the Loch Lomond Distillery has been producing the finest single malt whisky. Situated on the banks of Loch Lomond it takes its name from the most picturesque and famous of all Scotland’s lochs – often referred to as one of the world’s natural wonders.
Loch Lomond 12 Year Old uses a combination of whisky from their unique Loch Lomond pot stills and swan neck pot stills to give a distinguished character only found in Loch Lomond Single Malt. This exquisite 12 Year Old Single Malt has a deep, fruity character of peach and pear layered with a vanilla sweetness and the characteristic hints of peat and smoke found in Loch Lomond whiskies. Aged in three types of cask – bourbon, refill and recharred – these whiskies are brought together delivering a perfectly balanced single malt under the watchful eye of Michael Henry out Master Distiller. Loch Lomond 12 Year Old is non-chill filtered, to things as nature intended.
A Highland single malt Scotch whisky with a distinctive background character with a hint of smoke and peat. Perfect anytime straight, over ice or with a little water.
Loch Lomond 12 Year Old Single Malt. SMOOTHED TO PERFECTION
Loch Lomond Whiskies are proud to be the Official Spirit of The Open, golf’s original championship. Never Follow.”
Taste: 7.5 – A bit of sweet, a bit of peat, and a bit of wood (sorry that didn’t all rhyme). At first, this seems like a nice calmer whiskey – it’s not but it does seem that for an initial few seconds.
Aftertaste: 6.0 – That charred heat flavor certainly shows up here, but there is actual peat along for the ride. It lingers as well for a nice long while and there’s not a huge amount of complaints in terms of actual flavor.
Burn/Smooth: 4.0 – There is however some contention with the delivery of that flavor and how abrupt and powerful it is. This is not a ‘burning’ whiskey (although we guess ‘charring’ works), but it is not smooth nor as they claim ‘smoothed to perfection’
Aroma: 5.0 – It has a bit more a bourbon over Islay smell, but it has the power to match those. The charring of the barrels really does show here as it’s less massive peat or wood, and a bit more on the smokey almost ‘hot overproof whiskey’ kinda smell. It’s overall okay, but it’s difficult to award or take away points.
Honesty: 3.0 – Right so the color and design here are nice, and now that’s out of the way let’s get to the problems. Problem A. They say Loch Lomond about a zillion times. B. They say perfection. C. They say – far too much. D. Golf. So sorry while we overall like this, it loses some points.
Mixability: 6.0
W/ Rocks: 5.5 – Now this is where we hope this to shine, that the rougher edges mellow out and we get that nice trio of flavor all the way through with the promised smoothness. However that question isn’t answered with a yes they did, or no they didn’t answer. Instead we get something that has a bit of the complex taste, is relatively smoother to drink, but also accentuates the sort of charred character to this whisky. It’s almost like a bourbon again in some – hmm wait…
Whiskey and Coke: 6.5 – Yes that does make for a tasty and interesting whiskey and coke. Now some people might scoff at this as something sacrilege – we say every whiskey has a better way. Some it’s neat, some a bit of water, some light or heavy on the ice, and others with bitters or colas. It’s not wrong. It may be wrong to buy a $40 single malt to mix with, but it is a nice way to enjoy this without it being a bit ‘punchy’
Editor’s Note: We did try some others, however given the disparity we didn’t include them.
Value: 5.0 – We paid a little bit more for this, but not so much to sour it. We won’t count the mixability because while it does make an interesting combo with coke, that’s not great. As a single malt it’s very characteristic, and it makes us curious for others of the brand. Mind you $40 for a single malt is actually rather on the cheap side so demerits aside – it’s not the worst thing to spend money on.
Google Shop Average: $40
Website: https://www.lochlomondwhiskies.com/
Reviewer Scores:
BuffaloJern: 5.0
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Metric Score: 36.5/70 |+| Metric Average: 5.21 |+| Reviewer Average: 5.0
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Final Thoughts: We’d be fine if this didn’t do well on ice – if it was smooth. Despite the golf-ness (actually in spite of) we’d expect this be silky smooth and because it’s not it takes it from a good whiskey down to just an okay whiskey, and who has time in life to deal with just okay whiskies (apparently us)
Love this stuff. It is dirt cheap where I live ($28.99) for a single malt, but a little hard to find. I have a bottle now. Cheap enough to drink on the rocks without guilt, but I mostly drink it out of a Glen Carin glass that I bought at a thrift store.