Lohin McKinnon Peated Single Malt

Lohin McKinnon Peated 43% abv, bottled in Canada, single malt whisky, no age listed. Aroma: peaty, earthy, smoky, fiery and oak Taste: a little spice up front, peat, smoky, malts, seems young by the color. Overall this is a solid single malt with a very nice taste, just a little young and a little overpriced for what may be a 3-4 year old whisky. It is definitely worth the try. Cost: $44.95 plus tax Grade: B+

A very well done peated whisky from a corner of the world you would not expect peated whisky. The flavours come in waves and I thoroughly enjoyed each sip of delightful discovery.

Very interesting taste. The peated malt is actually sourced from Scotland. But it doesn't taste or smell as any peated scotches I have tried. Nose: licorice, ripe fruits, grass. Palate: a bit medicinal, tastes like roots, consistent with nose overall. Finish: lingering, doesn't change the palate over time. I somehow feel the taste of good quality gin in it. Overall, it feels like it's a very young whiskey. it might be a interesting whisky, unique, once it ages a bit longer.

If you like Ardbeg Islay malt, you’ll like this unusual Canadian malt from Vancouver. The peated malted barley has come from Scotland (though not from Islay) for reasonable authenticity, but the lack of age statement hints that expectations should be kept low. Like Ardbeg, it pours a very light lemon colour with a strong waft of smoke from the off. The body is light with minimal legginess. The first taste brings a strong limey citrus flavour, quickly elbowed aside by a mouth-coating peatiness. What’s missing, compared with a decent peated malt, is a balancing sweetness, any hint of fruit, and complexity on the finish. I’m happy to have this in my collection-it’s not too pricey and a fun novelty-but I can’t recommend it.

July 13th 2019 at Central City pub in Surrey. Light peat detected on the nose. Ditto on the palate. Lightly pleated, I would say. Nice!