Review by: The Muskox
I’m back from another work shift in the wilderness! Going forward, I should actually be able to bring part of my sample collection with me on the road, so I’ll be able to keep reviewing while working (if I don’t fall asleep right after my commute!).
For now, I’ll pick up where I left off with another of last year’s Diageo Special Releases. This one comes from the Royal Lochnagar distillery, located in the southern Highlands in Pitlochry (quite close to Edradour). This distillery is perhaps best known as an important base malt for Johnnie Walker Blue Label, and is rarely seen as a single malt outside the standard 12-year-old. This is due in part to its use in Blue Label, but also because the distillery is tiny, with only a single set of stills producing about 450,000 L per year. Those stills are fitted with worm-tub condensers to produce an extra-meaty spirit, which is then matured exclusively in second-fill sherry casks.
Distillery: Royal Lochnagar.
Bottler: Official bottling.
Region: Highlands.
ABV: 57.5%. Cask strength.
Age: 16 years. Bottled in 2021.
Cask type: European and American oak second-fill sherry casks.
Price: $250 CAD.
Color: Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.
Nose: Floral and fruity, but with hint of earthy heaviness. Woodsy apple pie, preserved strawberries, forest raspberries, and strong fragrant yuzu. Sourdough dipped in buttery olive oil, along with sweeter malty notes of honey-drizzled toasted raisin challah and Biscoff cookies. The earthy side of the dram comes across as cool mud and damp moss. My friend zSolaris found this whisky rather melony in his review; I didn’t get that on my first glass of this whisky but did find it on the second.
With a few drops of water, there are rich floral notes, almost herbal tea. Baking spice emerges.
Palate: Medium-oily texture. Robust and toasty in the middle. Sweet-tart fruit on the arrival – yuzu, russet apple, and muscat grapes. Buttery sweetness and caramel, almost a little yeasty. Raspberry cookies. Very robust and toasty flavours in the middle. Rich oak, dark-roast malt, toasted coconut, unsweetened chocolate, roasted green tea. A hint of soft woodsy smoke, with a pleasant matchstick sulfur character (it doesn’t bother me, so it almost certainly won’t bother you). Toasted whole-wheat bread with a thin slathering of butter.
Earthier and with slightly more of a sulfur funk with water. Even more yuzu.
Finish: Medium-long. Fatty, very nearly savoury, with some fruity acidity. Fragrant candied citron, gooseberry, pear, melon, shea butter. Subtle cinnamon. A hint of earthiness and yeast. More muscat grapes, raspberry, and some tangerine.
Water lengthens the finish slightly. More honey-sweetened tea.
Possible SMWS bottling name: “Kōchi Prefecture farmer’s market”
Conclusion: That’s seriously good. Amazing balance of fragrant estery fruit, toasty malt, and earthy girthy worm-tub bass notes. That’s a winning flavour combination for me. I can’t believe how much yuzu I got out of this. Comparing it to other distilleries, the berry/chocolate/subtle peat combo reminds me a little of Benromach, and it’s a bit Ben Nevis-ish with those rich malty notes in there, too. Still, I’d say it’s lighter and fruitier than either of those whiskies. A real winner, once you ignore the price, of course.
Final Score: 88.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 