Loch Lomond distillery in west Highlands, near Glasgow, is a chameleon of a distillery. It sports no less than 11 stills of four different kinds, allowing them to produce a variety of styles, from both malted barley and grain. This means they can make their own blend, in-house. The most well-known and -selling product is Highland Commissioner. Loch Lomond was long considered of lesser interest by whisky geeks, but over the last decade they have supposedly increased the quality and have received some success in marketing themselves as a competent single malt producer.
For future reference I note here the different styles:
Inchmurrin – Fruity and unpeated style. Made using unusual straight-necked pot stills with rectifying plates.
Inchmoan – Heavily peated version of Inchmurrin.
Inchfad – Heavily peated style, no longer officially bottled. Name used internally for a still configuration I didn’t find out about.
Croftengea – The most heavily peated style, supposed to have more complexity. Can’t find the still configuration.
Old Rosdhu – Used to refer to a style produced intermittently between the opening 1966 and 2000.
Loch Lomond single grain – refers to the malt spirit produced with a continuous still installed in 2007, which is therefore classified as single grain and not single malt. Internally goes by the name Rhosdhu.
Loch Lomond single malt – fruity and lightly peated, created from pot stills as well as straight-necked pot still.
Sources: whiskypedia, distiller
Today, I will try two independently bottled Inchmurrins, both distilled in 1997, matured in a bourbon cask for 23 or 24 years, ending with an ABV around 48%. It will be interesting to see if the similarity on paper translates to similarity on palate.
Inchmurrin 23yo (1997) Liquid Treasures
Type: Scotch single malt
Alcohol: 48.5%
Cask info: barrel (not stated, but clearly ex-bourbon)
Bottling info: unchillfiltered and natural colour
Price and availability: Unavailable. Estimated retail price €160 (2021)
🔗WhiskyBase
Sample bought from bottler at Bad Homburg Whisky Fair 2023 (2cl, €7 I think)
Experience ⚡
Predominantly fruity on the nose. Ripe yellow apples, golden sultanas, some rosewater, subtle woodchip smoke. Characteristic bourbon cask notes of vanilla and cream. The palate is somewhat dry, the taste contains stone fruits and a hint of ash, and is slightly pungent (like overripe fruit, or fruit punch). The finish is long and satisfying with stone fruits and gooseberry.
Thoughts 💡
Surprisingly, I’m most excited about the finish here. Usually, I’m more captivated by the nose, or the palate. It’s a great bourbon-casky dram, not so complex, but definitely tasty. I personally wouldn’t go out of my way to obtain a bottle, though.
Great Quality ⭐
Inchmurrin 24yo (1997) Chorlton
Type: Scotch single malt
Alcohol: 47.7%
Cask info: bourbon barrel
Bottling info: unchillfiltered and natural colour, 147 bottles
Price and availability: Original price £115 (UK, 2021). Currently available for €200 (via Italy, 2023).
🔗WhiskyBase
Review sample bought from Hop/Scotch (UK) (25ml, £11)
Experience ⚡
I will review this one by comparison to the first. Once more yellow apples, stone fruits – but less intense. The nose is more ethereal, wet linen and light white wine come to mind. Less vanilla, but more milk chocolate. The palate is very well balanced in terms of flavours, but in the taste there is the unmistakable cardboard storage-defect note. Not to the point of ruining the whole experience, though. Again, the finish is lovely, with gooseberry and sultanas.
Thoughts 💡
I have had this sample for 6 months, and it may have been bottles a few months before then. Clearly, this was too long, but I still feel confident that this dram, under optimal conditions, would be nice but not amazing in my book.
Inconclusive (tainted sample)❓
Always fun to see how much variation there can be between sister casks, but the family resemblance is still clear. The fruity, malty and just a little pungent and smoky style is quite nice.
DuckDrams 
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