Whisky : Loch Lomond “Inchmoan” 13 Year SMWS 135.14 “Tripping the light fantastic”

Country/Region : Scotland/Highland

ABV : 55.4%

Cask : Ex-Bourbon (13 years) Ex-Charred Red Wine Barrique (1 year)

Age : 13 Years (Distilled 3 March 2005, Bottled 2019)

Nose : Pungent fruit and smoke— the Kool-Aid man on fire.  Fruit punch, guava jam, and cigarette burns on a fake leather plastic booth.  This just screams 90’s diner “non-smoking section.”  Beyond the glass of fruit punch and the reek of smoke, Grandmother has ordered a stack of pancakes for you and a slice of lemon meringue pie for her.  Maybe these notes sound less than appetizing— so, put another way, this is a beautiful mix of fruits, smoke, creamy citrus, and malty pastries.

Palate :  Lovely viscous body with potent flavors.  Bacon jam, salted herbaceous butter, caramelized Granny Smith apples, and the sweet earthiness of pickled beets.  The notes of the nose come on strong as well; fruit punch and a smoke that oscillates between cigarettes and a gas grill after hamburgers.  A bit of water tamps down the smoke enough that grilled tropical fruits pop out.

Finish :  Lingering slightly salty fruit punch and a bit of pepper spice.

Score : 7

Mental Image : 90’s Diner Fruit Punch

Something Better : Longrow 15 Year Chardonnay (more grilled fruit, similar meat/charcoal, less earth)

Something Similar : Ledaig 21Y; “Chieftain’s” K&L (similar fruit punch & smoke, more salt & brine)

Something Worse : Ledaig 16Y;  G&M “Connoisseurs Choice” (similar punch/smoke, less complex/finish)

Notes :  This was a wild ride down nostalgia road.  While the tasters I shared with this had similar memories, the experience of sitting in a diner reeking of cigarette smoke as a kid just trying to enjoy his artificially flavored fruit punch, may not be universal.  If that rings a bell at all, then you might find this dram fascinating as well.  This was really great, the wine finish contributed perfectly to the wonderful fruity edge to this dram. 

Loch Lomond really produces some interesting drams— while the only two I have had so far have both been independent bottler expressions, they have had such strong and unique flavor palates.  Between the buttery popcorn and sticky floors of the Douglas Laing Old Particular, to the diner booth of this one, I have enjoyed every moment of the childhood nostalgia that these provoked.  Proust would have been buying this stuff by the case, I am certain.