Whisky: Lochindaal 10 Year (2010), Private Cask 4297

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 62.7%

Cask: Bourbon

Age: 10 Years (Distilled 2010, Bottled 2021)

Nose: Coastal and woody, grassy, wispy smoke throughout, slightly medicinal herbs, hay and mellow horse blankets, a touch of barn and earth.

Palate: Medium-bodied, citrusy, refined sugar, wispy smoke and earth, hints of horses and barns, crisp maritime brine, minerals, slightly acrid medicinal herbs at the end.

Finish: Medium to long with citrus and spice.

Score: 6-7 (81)

Mental Image: Renaissance Fair at the Beach

Narrative & Notes: Eroding coastal cliffs lent a dry minerality to salty air and grassy shoreline parklands. Wispy smoke carried in medicinal herbs with menthol, sage, and camphor cleaning the sinuses enough to pick up on hints of distant wooden barns and horse blankets. Medium-bodied and almost effervescent at times with sharp citrus and refined sugar. Wispy smoke from distant campgrounds led to horses and barns, closer than they appeared on the nose, with a crisp brine washing through it all— horses getting a rubdown on the beach? Salt and citrus lingered with a touch of earth and more burnt medicinal herbs toward a sweet and slightly acrid finale.  The finish was medium to long with lemonade powder and white pepper.

A bit more raw and unrefined than some of the other 2010 Lochindaal I have had— much shorter on fruits and a touch more acrid.  The flavors and mouthfeel drifter as close to Laphroaig as I have encountered on the malt with medicinal herbs and a touch of pavement.  There was less of the barnyard quality to this than some of the others, but a sharper citrus and brine with tons of lemons rather than oranges and none of the cream to cut it back.

Overall, still quite good, but a few marks behind my favorites of the style and vintage.

Image Credit: Whiskybase