Lochlea Our Barley

Sydney Whisky Show May 20th 2023. Whisky #9 Nose: Fruity (orchard fruits, stone fruits, citrus), hay, fragrant grass, grape juice, honey-coated cereal bars, and some wood notes from the casks. Palate: Mildly sweet entry with vanilla cake, peaches, and caramel sauce. Spice notes appear during development, gaining complexity over time with various fruit and grain flavors emerging. The texture is full but also slightly astringent. Finish: Medium/short. Spicy (pepper, tannin) with a slightly honied aftertaste. This was the second Lochlea sampled that day, following their Sowing Edition Second Release. In general, I found this one comparable but with a more grassy and herbal aroma and a broader, more complex palate. However, while the Sowing Edition was bourbon-matured with a straightforward presentation, this one seemed very calculated and manufactured to me. It was aged in a mix of first-fill bourbon, oloroso sherry, and STR casks, and I could clearly discern the contribution of each cask type as a separate, disconnected element. Although it was not unpleasant, I felt this whisky needed longer aging and significant resting in a marrying cask to integrate everything. As it stands, the individual components are evident. Still, it's an enjoyable young whisky and worth trying. “Above Average”: 80/100 (3 stars)

Picture a farm for cattle. That was the origin of this distillery around 2006. By 2015, the proprietors converted the hog house into a place for making Whisky. Quite a vision. Lochlea is said to have been the farm where Robert Burns resided. Now, it stands as one of Scotland's most recent Whisky distilleries. This core offering comes in at 46% alcohol by volume. It has a golden hue. The aroma still hints at youth. Acetone, melon, sea salt, and squash. Peaches and a pleasant artificial scent. A few sips revealed a moist vanilla cake. The taste is dominated by apricots and honey. Sweet peach halves are prominent. The finish echoes the same profile. Peaches, spun sugar. It's almost fiery, like warm honey. In my opinion, this youthful whisky is a commendable spirit that will likely evolve into a fascinating single malt in the coming years. It's not a poor drink, but it needs more depth and aging to achieve greater smoothness. This is a pleasant product to watch closely for future, more refined releases. My rating is 77 out of 100.

An intense Single Malt Scotch Whiskey from Lochlea Distilling Co. in Lowlands, Scotland, made with local barley from Cochlea. It was aged in a mix of first-fill ex-bourbon & ex-Oloroso sherry casks, as well as shaved, toasted & re-charred barriques before being bottled at 46.0% ABV. It has an aromatic beginning with notes of grain, wood, fruits, nuts, herbs & spices; a bold & spicy middle adds notes of buttered soda bread, canned peaches, apple juice, fruit salad, honey, crystallized orange peel, crushed almonds, Harp lager & vanilla extract; leading to a long, rich & creamy end with notes of white pepper, toasted oak, rye bread, marmalade, maple syrup, macadamia nuts & beeswax. January 2024

Light gold in color. Smells of freshly cut grass and delicate vanilla. Shows faint sherry notes and a grainy sweetness. Tastes of yellow pears, honey, green apple, and buttered scones. Finishes herbal and juicy with orchard fruit and blackberries. Diluted: The aroma has a sweet cinnamon bun quality, and the taste features more apple, but soft, mushy Golden Delicious. The finish is like gossamer brown sugar with a sprinkle of nutmeg.

From a new distillery, this spirit is intriguing. The aroma has fruit, vanilla, and a hint of herbs. The taste is sweet, like barley candy, with more vanilla. The finish has a slight bitterness and faint dried fruit notes, lasting a medium amount of time. Overall, it's very good, though not incredibly exciting. We'll see how it evolves.

Simple whiskey with a slight green apple finish. The barley malt is emphasized. The cask finish flavor impact is minimal. The smooth finish is surprising for a limited aged scotch. This is a very pleasant, uncomplicated drink. A single malt for barley purists. Not smoky or peaty.