Loch Lomond 12 Year Review
In-Depth Review
Loch Lomond Distillery is located in the Highlands of Scotland in the town of Alexandria, just south of Loch Lomond. Many people know the Loch Lomond name due to its appearance in the Adventures of TinTin – even though the fictional whisky in the comics has no connection to the real Loch Lomond distillery. Loch Lomond is one of the more unique distilleries in Scotland because in addition to Pot Still, it uses Continuous and Column Stills to make a wide variety of whiskies and products.
This whisky is one of the entry level offerings but boasts a healthy 46% ABV and non-chill filtration which makes it more targeted at whisky enthusiasts than the run of the mill 12 year old’s from Glenfiddich or Glenlivet. I found this as part of a giftset that was on clearance at K and L Wine Merchants for significantly under MSRP.
Age: 12 Year
ABV: 46%
Cask: Ex-Bourbon, Refill, Re-Charge Barrels
MSRP: $35
Distillery Name: Loch Lomond
Reviewed: 11/13/20
THE REVIEW
Color: Straw colored, but not standard as natural color so we can assume artificial colors were used.
Nose: Sweetness comes through first before transitioning to herbal tones with a slight smokiness. A salty minerality is also present along with a background of ash.
Palate: First impressions are of burnt salted taffy. There is confectionary sweets mixed with light smoke and char. Lighter in body with a decent mouthfeel that benefits from the 46% ABV. Drinks a bit hotter than the ABV would imply. Slight bitterness on the back of the palate.
Finish: Short to medium finish leaving some of the salty brininess behind. Imagine eating candy by the ocean.
Final Thoughts: This is an easy drinking scotch that isn’t overly complex but a great value (even at MSRP) when compared to some of the other options in this price range. Not as floral or fruit forward as something like a Glenlivet 12 or Glenmorangie 10, but without the overt peat smoke present in entry level Islay. It’s an interesting bottle that I’m glad I picked up on clearance as the MSRP may have pushed me to try something I was more familiar with. But after spending some time enjoying this bottle, I am interested to explore the other two samples included in my gift box (Loch Lomond Inchmoan and Inchmurrin).
