Loch Lomond 12 Inchmurrin Review
In-Depth Review
Welcome to another expression in the Loch Lomond core range. Pouring a glass of this is a nice return to the distillery whose standard 12 year expression was the first Scotch I ever reviewed for the site.
But when I picked up that bottle on clearance from K&L Wine Merchants, it came as part of a larger package. And in that package, were two other miniature bottles of whiskies that they stated weren’t yet sold here in the US. One of them was Loch Lomond 12 Inchmoan that promised a smokey and spicy whisky, while the other was this – Loch Lomond 12 Inchmurrin. This promises a different take on the other 12-year expressions from Loch Lomond but does follow the rest of the range by being bottled at 46% and non-chill filtered.
Age: 12 Year
ABV: 46%
Cask: ex-Bourbon barrels (bourbon, refill, and re-charred)
MSRP: Around $60
Distillery Name: Loch Lomond
Review Date: 1/26/21
Color: Straw
Nose: Upon first pour, the nose is quite subtle and closed off. But after letting the whisky rest in the glass for a few minutes, a rush of fruit, vanilla, honey, butterscotch, fresh cut flowers, and herbs come through. The nose here isn’t as deep and robust as the regular 12 and instead feels much fruiter and brighter. There’s a touch of grassy notes without being earthy or dark. After a couple drops of water, the nose opens up to more notes of hay and darker fruits. Trying this side by side with the regular 12, the regular 12 features more smoke and iodine that creates a brinier nose overall.
Palate: On the palate, Inchmurrin continues to be a very different experience than the regular 12. There is a much more waxy, floral and sweet palate with only the slightest hints of smoke. At first there’s coconut cream and herbs (maybe tarragon?), mixed with warm vanilla sugar. On the front of the palate there are also more bourbon influences coming through with notes of Werther’s originals with a tropical nuance in the form of orange cream. This is a bright flavor profile with a good mouthfeel. The non-chill filtration seems to help create a rewarding full-bodied experience. After a couple drops of water, the palate seems to smooth out but maybe a bit more than you’d like. After water, the whisky falls a bit flat, so I much prefer this neat to maintain the delicate flavors and great mouthfeel.
Finish: Medium finish with sweet, warming flavors. The 46% ABV does provide some heat, but its well-`controlled. The spice comes through more on the finish than the palate. There are creamy notes of tropical fruits, with a nice drying finish.
Final Thoughts: This is a lovely whisky – and a completely different experience than the normal loch Lomond 12. Unfortunately for me, this only came in a small 50ml bottle as I actually much prefer this to the larger bottle of the regular 12 I purchased. Inchmurrin has a lovely combination of bright tropical flavors that blend well with the bourbon notes of vanilla sugar, and butterscotch. At times this reminded me of Yamazaki 12, but only in fleeting moments. Adding too much water seems to be detrimental here, so I recommend keeping this neat (or be very careful with adding water). If I could find this in full 750ml bottles, I would absolutely grab one for the shelf.
