Loch Lomond 18 Year

Nose is some darker fruit with lots of vanilla. Taste is darker than expected with less bread and light fruit, more dried cherry up front, vanilla and Walnut, and a dried apricots on the finish with some smoke. The smoke is fairly light, just adding a bit of character.

Nose: Wet mossy wood, salt and light pepper, sea air, spicy cheese (parmesan?) Palate: immediate bitterness and spice, sandalwood, slightly stronger salt and pepper, slight vinegar, very little black licorice Finish: Bitter finish with dryer oak

Definitely the best of the three Loch Lomond I have tried: classic, 12 and this 18. It seems time and an oak coat do this malt a world of good. Nose: Enjoyably complex musky farm animal note dark dried fruit Old book pages A little milk chocolate Dust Saddle Leather with the horse still there Pine O’clean (disinfectant) Dry Roast beef salty Arrival: Nicely viscous Creamy and buttery dried fruit Dark muskovado sugar Development: Bright barley shines through There’s a bit of an American rye vibe Dark Salted caramel Finish: Sweet oily and sugary Black pepper Meaty smoke Dry sushi sheet seaweed There’s plenty here to be happy with but the overall quality still holds it back from competing with many other 18yo. For the price it’s worth getting a bottle.