Spearhead Single Grain

It’s not bad but it’s not good either. Just eh

Nose: Restrained vanilla and berries. It reminds me of a vague waft from a coupe of vanilla ice cream topped with a red berry coulis. Palate: Sweet generic mild fruity arrival drifting towards brown sugar or caramel in the development and with a white pepper prickle towards the finish. The texture is watery. Finish: Very short, apart from some lingering pepper spice. A touch sour. Not very interesting – I was hoping for more from Loch Lomond. This is not at all what we usually think of when we hear the words “grain whisky”. Scottish grain is generally based on a wheat or corn mash (often Australian wheat as a matter of fact), but this is 100% malted barley and it is given a long fermentation. If it had been run through a pot still it would be a single malt, but instead it was distilled in a Coffey still which means by law it must be called “single grain”. It is being marketed as a mixing whisky for bar use and is transparently positioned against Monkey Shoulder and Naked Grouse. It's certainly not a sipping whisky. I’d say it has been designed to appeal to the white spirits crowd and to bartenders, but to be honest I was not that impressed by the taste. It's acceptable but I would not recommend it. Instead I’d direct you to Loch Lomond’s stablemate product “Reserve” blended scotch which offers more for about half the price, or to the other two big names in blended malt mentioned above. “Adequate” : 73/100 (2.25 stars)

Nose: Summer fruit & berries, warm, floral Palate: Sweet, fruity, brown sugar, lime/sour, treacle Finish: Short finish. Honey, oak, spice There’s a gentleness to this that makes it easy to drink. Overall, it’s a little bit ‘meh’. Not a bad whisky, but not memorable or interesting.