Loch Lomond 12 Inchmoan Shelf Review

Shelf Review
Designed to give you all the quick hit information you need when you’re standing in front of your local liquor store’s whisky shelf.

The last in my Loch Lomond 12 trilogy, this was the one I was least excited about. Inchmoan is the peated expression of Loch Lomond 12, and as you know if you’ve read through these pages, I am not the biggest fan of peat. That’s not to say that I don’t respect it, it’s just not my cup of tea - yet. And after the delightful surprise of Loch Lomond Inchmurrin, I was open minded, but had my reservations about Inchmoan. Luckily, this was part of my larger purchase of Loch Lomond and only came in a 50ML mini.

Luckily, this whisky does follow the standard Loch Lomond recipe of 46% ABV, non-chill filtration, and uses peated distillate and a combination of refill and re-charred casks to create a very different interpretation of Loch Lomond. Another big thank you to K&L Wine Merchants in LA for putting such an awesome collection on clearance! 

Age: 12 Years

ABV: 46%

Cask: Recharred American oak and refill bourbon barrels

MSRP: $50-60

Distillery Name: Loch Lomond

Review Date: 2/3/21

Nose: The nose presents as very different than the other Loch Lomond whiskies. Much more smoke, peat, and salt. Sweetness mixed with grassy and herbal notes. There is a definite seaweed character playing with the dried oak. Quite a soft nose for such hearty notes.  

Palate: More vanilla sweetness on the palate with lots of malt on the front of the palate. Softer than other peated whiskies I have recently had – the flavor seems to build on the palate after a few sips. Seabreeze and herbs. A touch of orange and walnut. Lighter mouthfeel than I was expecting, as sometimes the smoke can make a whisky feel quite heavy. Soft entry on the palate that leads into the finish.

Finish: Shot to medium finish that features ashy notes that remind me of a smoldering fire. A strong black pepper note is also present. That vanilla sweetness in the palate lingers for a bit, until its overtaken by the smoke. Surprisingly, the finish was my favorite part here as it provided just enough smoke to not make it overwhelming.

Score: 83

Would I buy again? This isn’t my favorite of the Loch Lomond 12 years, and one that I wouldn’t reach for regularly. But as I sipped it, this whisky did grow on me. Enough to buy a bottle? No. But if you’re into a lighter style of peated whisky, or someone looking to get into that world, this may be the bottle to try – that is, if you can find it.