Loch Lomond 12 yo, 2000/2012, Dà Mhìle 46%
Dà Mhìle, the Original Organic Whisky, since 1992.
I am filled with a sense of dread. Loch Lomond is a distiller who are plainly not interested in the Single Malt category, nor are they a member of the Scotch Whisky Association. They don’t see this as important as with a variety of pot stills, Lomond-style stills and column stills, they can produce a range of very different whiskies for their own brands – they are essentially an industry unto itself.
As you might expect, most of it ends up in supermarket blends, but every once in a while you might come across indie bottlings of Croftengea, or Inchmurrin, that’s Loch Lomond with varying peat and style. There’s a lot more on Loch Lomond in an earlier post, so no need to revisit that.
Also I just learnt that unlike the rest of the industry that relies on the same small handful of yeasts, here they use wine yeasts which is truly unique for a Scotch distiller.
Nose: Well not too bad. Lots of wood influence. New american oak and something very charred, so hot butterscotch, crackling toffee, caramel left too long over the stove, plus associated spices. Also something high toned and feinty that comes across as plastic or could be floral in the eau de toilette sense. Behind that is something vapourously oily like fried dough from next door, and a bit of citrus zest, sweetshop candies.
Palate: Floral sweetness. Lilies and violets sitting on top of clear and sweet bourbon oak plus some musty old pears. Prickly charred, hot spice. and plastic. Strangely the florals get heavier and more stale in the mouth. More plastic and haribo gummy sweetness.
Finish: Gummies, plastic and oak.
Serendipity! Not too bad, compared to some other Loch Lomonds, but some strange plasticky and musty flavours do appear here and there.
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