Loch Lomond 12 Year

Very smooth Louis Oosthuizen

Nose - initially reminded me of tequila in a weird way, got better as the bottle went on with a nutty malt, sugary fruit Taste - rather smooth and sweet with smoke and a bit of tobacco Finish - not too long, easy here with oak Score - 3.25, nose is not that great at first but got better, taste is the winner on this one Scoring Legend 5.0 - Outstanding, unmatched to others 4.5 - Excellent, I will always keep a bottle in stock if possible 4.0 - Very good, quite enjoyable to drink, can consider as a solid choice 3.5 - Good, would taste again 3.0 - Average 2.5 - Acceptable, still drinkable 2.0 - Inferior, able to drink but not enjoyable 1.5 and below—wouldn’t drink again unless I am desperate

Nose: light with hints of stone fruits and raisins Body: light notes of black pepper and vanilla, full bodied with hints of honey Finish: warm and medium lasting

Subtle yet smooth peat, balanced finish with a touch of mellow sweetness on the finish, maybe apple?

Nose: Light smoke, stewed pair and a hint of vanilla Palate: Guava jam, honey dew, a touch of pepper, wisp of smoke and soft vegetal peat Finish: Guava, black licorice with light peat on back of the palate. The finish is long. When I initially opened this bottle, I was on the fence about whether I liked it or not. It seemed a bit of all over the place, slightly smoky with some unusual fruit flavours; guava jam, honey dew, cantaloupe with a touch of anise and pepper on the finish. If I would have reviewed it based on the first couple of pours it would have gotten a score of 3.5. The bottle has now been opened for 7 months and is just below the halfway mark. That time has done a great job of allowing these seemingly disparate flavours to gel together and come to a pleasant harmonious balance. I'm sure my palate has also learned to enjoy this oddball whisky over that time. This is so not your typical Highland scotch. If I were tasting this blind, I would probably guess it was a Campbeltown? Makes me curious about Loch Lomond's other offerings. Overall, I'm impressed by the layers of unique flavours presented in this very affordable single malt and how well they work together. I would absolutely buy this again but it's not a scotch I would recommend to someone who's just getting started on their whisky journey.

Almost tastes like cask strength. Needs to be cut with a bit more water.