Whisky Details: Springbank 10 Year, Local Barley 2021 Release

Nose: Citrusy curd and grass, milled lumber and saw dust, hints of dank mildew, old pizza cafe with plastic booths and linoleum flooring, flat cola, tangerines and slightly tropical citrus with time.

Palate: Medium to full-bodied, very oily, citrusy curd and butter, lilikoi with a hint of lime, creamier toward the end, plenty of lumber mill and saw dust, citrusy sun tea with herbal and lemony notes.

Finish: Long and lingering with refined sugar, glazed donuts, a kiss of salt, and dried tangerine.

Score: 6-7 (79)

Mental Image: 90s Pizzeria Nostalgia

Narrative & Notes: When we visited Springbank in the autumn of 2024, several people at the distillery told us that if we ever got out hands on a local barley release, that we should flip it and use the proceeds to buy more Springbank— such is the hype and market momentum for the local barley series.  They also told us that it was the least popular product to work on in the distillery as the barley required special attention and retooling to be processed and ground at the distillery. The product is a labor of love— and I think that comes through in the glass. This was not my favorite Springbank, especially after trying so many last year, even though it provided a lovely bit of nostalgia for the old pizzeria arcades of my youth.

Whisky Details: Lediag 19 Year (2005), Signatory Vintage Cask 900158

Nose: Rich with grilled meat, slow roasted pork butt, charred fats, and more sherried notes of dark chocolate; anise and sweet char siu marinades, slightly medicinal at times— Chinese medicine shop, shoe polish.

Palate: Medium-bodied, big and bold, rich and sherried, occasionally briny and maritime, sweet cured meats, slightly ashy, lacquered wood, medicinal and herbal like a traditional Chinese medicine shop, anise, ti leaf, cacao nibs with a slight bitterness.

Finish: Medium to long, maritime and drying with cacao nibs.

Score: 8 (87)

Mental Image: S’Mores in the Meat Smoker

Narrative & Notes: I felt myself crack a grin when I brought this up to my nose for the first time. It was a massive and cracking affair, with layers of maritime and dirty industrial peated malt crashing into a wall of heady oloroso which brought out the medicinal qualities of the whisky. This was not a subtle dram, though time and water did bring out more depth.  The flavor profile was well-balanced and the alcogol well-integrated considering the full throttle experience. I had a feeling I would enjoy this and only hesitated due to the first fill sherry maturation, but my fears were mostly allayed (I do still prefer refill) and this more than met the occasion.

Whisky Details: Bruichladdich Lochindaal 15 Year (2007), Lady of the Glen Cask 3371

Nose: Funky and creamy— lactic, maritime, animal pastures and horse blankets, spirited and peppery, lacquered wood and church pews on a hot day, subtle incense scattered amongst the funky farm and cream.

Palate: Medium-bodied, somewhat oily, spirited and peppery, more caramel and creamy funky, digestive biscuits, citrusy and herbal, hints of the animal pasture and barn but restrained compared to the nose, rather discordant.

Finish: Medium-length, coastal and buttery with citrus.

Score: 6 (78)

Mental Image: Animal Farm Gift Shop

Narrative & Notes: So what does Lochindaal look like when it grows up? After falling in love with the spirit at ten and twelve years old, I could not wait to try an older example— even if it was from the 2007 distillation season, which has so far proven to be my least favorite.  I suppose the question is still up in the air; this had plenty of the farmy and funky qualities of Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte, with the little of the cleanness I typically associate with Lochindaal. It was a tale of two halves, which left the whisky feeling a bit discordant— while the aroma was funky and characteristic, the palate was tamer with more straightforward caramel and malty biscuits.  After such a wonderful nose, I expected something a bit more eccentric on the palate.  Overall, not a bad whisky by any means and I would love to try it again, but not one I will hunt down for my Lochindaal stash.