Right now now we have two closely peated whiskies produced at Loch Lomond distillery. One is a Croftengea 2005 bottled by The Whisky Change, the opposite Inchfad 2005 from the Thompson Brothers. Each roughly the identical age and ABV.
Whereas Inchfad is theoretically round 25 ppm and Croftengea round 55 ppm, we’ll be taught that the cask can modify and even amplify the smokiness.
Croftengea 15 yo 2006 (52,6%, The Whisky Change 2021, hogshead #341, 280 btl.)
Nostril: moist leaves, with moss and camphor. Some brine and grapefruit behind it, in addition to recent minty notes and beneficiant hints of bread. Yellow apple within the distance. The smoke is of yesterday’s bonfire, comparatively delicate and ashy. Hints of hay and dried herbs, in addition to a clean trace of grease. Fairly layered with a pleasant evolution.
Mouth: a thick texture with extra sweetness than anticipated. Extra apples and candy citrus (lime) towards a background of tarry, extra medicinal smoke. A couple of drops of cough syrup and lacquered meat. Hints of black peppercorns and chocolate coated nuts. Nonetheless loads of autumnal, leafy notes.
End: lengthy, nonetheless balancing on citrus sweetness, smoke and forest notes.
Extra to my liking than the sister cask that they had within the Whisky Path collection. An pleasurable Croftengea with reasonable smoke however excessive complexity – it retains altering colors. I’m stunned to see that is nonetheless out there from The Whisky Change.
Inchfad 16 yo 2005 (52,2%, Thompson Brothers 2021, Pedro Ximénez hogshead end, 300 btl.)
Nostril: the identical dry and leafy smoke, albeit extra outstanding. A hearth, smoky bacon. Additionally extra sweetness, assume raisins and Maraschino cherries, with apple pie. Hints of soy sauce and roasted nuts as effectively.
Mouth: the PX added raisins and blackberry jams, on high of this sooty core. Black olives, burnt leaves and a candy natural word. Black peppercorn, in addition to tobacco and a contemporary trace of (youngish) oak.
End: medium, with some inexperienced oak spice, grapefruit peels and floral malty notes.
The richness of the Pedro Ximénez (I nearly wrote sherry, however I’m unsure right here) works effectively alongside the peat smoke. The truth is they appear to amplify one another: this Inchfad appears smokier. A wealthy dram. Rating: 86/100
