DrRHCMadden
Reviewed
October 20, 2022 (edited May 31, 2023)
Due to a combination of very fat thumbs, aggressive scrolling, and an apparent inability to differentiate between the words ‘yes’ and ‘no’, I deleted my original taste of this odd liquid from October the 11th. Distiller, it turns out, does not keep server copies of reviews. Once deleted, the notes are but a memory. This bugged me. I’m heading towards one hundred distiller tastes when I will be using my accumulated EXP points to level up to ‘Level 2 whisky amateur’.
What I recall of this whisky is that it provided me with a flavour profile in the mid palate that I couldn’t wrap my head around, I think I left it as non-distinct meaty stew. I don’t think I sided on a like or dislike outcome either, just a ‘curious’ distinction. So, determined not to lose a review and get in the way of my special dram saved for number 100 I went out and bought another Loch Lomond 50 ml three pack. I’ll give the 12 and 18 to someone I intensely dislike, or maybe the neighbours rabbit or something, theres some grease on my garage floor that I guess I could clean with these too. But this original; well, I’m going back in for a second round.
N: Upfront this feels oily and dusty. There is a very gentle caramel and some nuttiness. There is also some citrus spray. The more whiffs I get the stronger a sweet and generic fruit comes out that also becomes progressively more malty. Its just OK, nothing more, nothing less.
P: Initially this fills the palate in a slightly thin but oily manner. This actually becomes fuller and slightly creamy with time held. Early on this leans towards sweetness with toffee and a touch of vanilla over malty biscuits. Some chilli prickle is here but its not aggressive. As sweet fades, savoury is more notable. This is where things get interesting. A deeply savoury and vegetal flavour is middling away. My wife is currently making vegetable stock in the kitchen, and there is a leafy-greens smell in the air. This is the flavour note. It’s dark green salad leaves and umami like meat stock that I am finding here. It’s interesting and layers pretty well with the sweeter elements. This is slightly better than I recall. I think the chilli was more prominent last time around, like in the 12. This is also far more mouth coating and full by the bottom of the pour, it really does seem to develop with constant sipping.
F: Medium-long. Toasted malt, drying bitter-coffee and a slightly sour astringency. Possibly some marzipan. All ends on chilli though, high and far back on the palate.
OK. This time around, I enjoyed this more than I remember. I wouldn’t buy a bottle even at only $56 though. I am still undecided if I actually like the savoury stew, and I think the nose is generic and the chilli exit is meh to off-putting. I am glad I got a second shot at this liquid, I feel I understand it better now. It’s not bad, for $56 I’d even say its good. But, it doesn’t speak to me and I’m not particularly excited by it.
(Neanderthal in picture because thats just how I roll, well how I was rolling on The 11th of October when I first tasted and photographed this, this week I’m all about rocks that look like food stuff)
Distiller whisky taste #88
56.0
AUD
per
Bottle