Review by: Raygun

I guess I’m doing a mini-series of Whisky Sponge Loch Lomond releases, a total of two of them. Inchmurrin is another unpeated malt distilled on the straight neck pot stills, so frankly I’m not sure how it differs from the discontinued Old Rhosdhu. If Loch Lomond is trying to be confusing, it’s working. It’s made some appearances as an OB on its own, but is more common as an IB. Reviewed from a sample. Rested about 15 minutes.

---

Distillery: Loch Lomond (Inchmurrin)

Bottler: Whisky Sponge    

Region/style: Highlands single malt Scotch

ABV: 53%

Age: 15 years old. Distilled in 2009 and bottled in 2024.     

Cask type: Second fill hogshead   

Color: 1.2 tawny. Natural color and non-chill-filtered.

---

Nose: Caramel hits at first, backed by some citrus that’s heavy on the orange. More fruit comes out with time. Melon, pineapple, and strawberries. A little grassy. There are some elements of a Chardonnay.                        

Palate: There’s a buttery texture to it. As fruity as the nose suggested it would be. Redolent of oranges and melon in particular, with the strawberry flavor popping up and some kiwi. Pastry cream and caramel. Not overly sweet despite these descriptors. The fruit intensifies with time. It’s hard to overstate how fruity it is.     

Finish: Caramel and pastry cream at first. It’s quite rich. More mixed fruit. The strawberry is a little stronger now, and that’s not a note I often find in bourbon casks. Melon, orange, kiwi, and pineapple. Nice level of oak. The rich mouthfeel takes this to the next level. Very good length, too.     

---

Conclusion: What a surprise. I’ve had much more peated Loch Lomond than unpeated, and I’d never have guessed they make a fruity little gem like this one. The creaminess is intense, too. I didn’t know what to expect from this, and it turned out to be a lovely pour. Reminds me a bit of the Littlemill I’ve tried while being far cheaper. If this is typical of Inchmurrin, I must seek out more. I like it a little better than the Old Rhosdhu I just reviewed, and it was much cheaper to boot. Nice when that happens.

Score: 89

Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky. (Convalmore 36)
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category. (Bruichladdich Black Art 4.1)
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram. (Ledaig 13 Amontillado)
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff. (Tomatin 18)
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting. (Glen Scotia 15)
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better. (Aultmore 12)
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink. (Glenmorangie 10)
• 50-59: Save it for mixing. (Old Pulteney 12)
• 0-49: Blech. (Muirhead’s Silver Seal 16)