Croftengea 10 Year Old 2006 (cask 5024) - The Cooper's Choice (The Vintage Malt Whisky Co.)

A potent, heavily smoky single malt from Loch Lomond, crafted at their Highland distillery. This is a single cask release of 10-year-old Croftengea, matured in a used butt cask from March 2006 to 2016. It was bottled by The Vintage Malt Whisky Co. as part of their Cooper's Choice line, with 725 bottles produced. It offers an aromatic start with hints of pink peppercorn, smoky hay & a touch of toffee; while a rich development adds notes of milk chocolate, smoked meats & oily malt; leading to a long conclusion with hints of bonfire embers. November 2017 / August 2022

Nose: Sweet. Smoke, bacon, sweet BBQ, salted caramel. There’s a faint hint of baby vomit! Palate: Oily, salt/brine, metallic, charred wood, smoke Finish: Long finish, sulphur matches, fireworks, BBQ meat, metallic and salty. This is superior to many of the Loch Lomond whiskies, but there’s an unpleasant sweaty/body odor note that is quite off-putting! Croftengea is the heavily peated single malt produced by Loch Lomond Distillery. Distilled: March 2006 Bottled: 2016 Single refill butt 1 of 725 bottles

Nose: Pepper, a hint of smoke, caramel Palate: Smoked meats, pepper, a slight oiliness Finish: Lingering smoke I quite like this, despite not detecting much complexity. 6.5/10