Loch Lomond Inchmurrin Madeira Wood Finish

This isn't my preferred offering from Inchmurrin/Loch Lomond. The nose, to me, was underwhelming. The malt from LL/Inchmurrin has a certain character, which is acceptable, but all I detected on the nose was a cheap tequila/wet cat aroma. This didn't set me up to like it. The palate is considerably better, offering the expected characteristics from a double maturation in a fortified wine cask – dried fruit, almond and marzipan, along with some vanilla. However, that was essentially it. It's nowhere near as intriguing or captivating as other Inchmurrins I've sampled.

A friend provided a 5cl bottle, calling it extremely rare and meant for a special evening. Well, I've had it for a few years and desired something new on a Friday, so here we are…. This whiskey delivers a significant burn. I added a small ice cube to mellow it and observe the results. I detected more dark cherry and oak notes, alongside plum and date flavors. It definitely requires a couple of small cubes or a rock to reveal its depth of flavor. It still burned slightly but unveiled the complexity, fully bringing out plum, dark cherry, oak, date, and honey notes.

A rich Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Loch Lomond Distillery in Scotland's Highlands, initially matured in American white oak barrels and then finished in casks that previously held fortified Madeira wine. It begins with a semi-sweet and nutty profile, featuring notes of nutmeg and allspice. Its full and bold character adds further notes of nuts, spices, new wood, peach, pear, and dark fruits, leading to a rich and delicate conclusion with hints of sugar and oak. Bottled between June 2019 and August 2022.

Nosing: sweet blackcurrant with a faint hint of pepper. Score: 2.75 Flavor: How to describe this - a burst of zest all over. Incredibly smooth and full of flavor. Fruity zest with playful citrus and a mature oakiness are the primary elements. A very full flavor that hits every note on your palate. Grapes on the finish. Score: 4 Finish: fruits and raisins - no smoke, but very enjoyable. Score: 3

The flavor is comparable to the 16-year-old Tyrconnell, but that Irish whiskey is superior and more readily available in New Jersey. This lacks the viscosity and flavor complexity of the Irish bottling. It also has an unpleasantly long and intensely spicy finish. While not bad, there's no reason to drink this as long as the 16-year-old Tyrconnell is available. However, the Madeira maturation does impart lovely flavors.

Honey yellow/orange in the glass. Nose: stone fruit pits, oak. Taste: Fruits, oak, nuts. Finish: Madeira, dark fruits. I quite like this. Maybe not as good as the 12-year, but I'd happily have a bottle. If I had to choose, I'd probably still go with the 12, though.