Review #198 - SMWS 122.40 'Smoky to a Tee' - Loch Lomond (Croftengea) 10 Year
From the 'Heavily Peated' flavor profile from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, we have this 10 year old Loch Lomond bottling - specifically the Croftengea style from the distillery. Croftengea is a heavily peated malt used by Loch Lomond primarily for blending, though occasional it finds its way out via an independent bottler, usually in single cask form.
The cask in question this time was a second fill ex-bourbon barrel, which could hint at some slightly more spirity flavors; the heavy peat smoke flavor might be a bit more intact, too. We get the Society's typical craft presentation with a cask strength of 57.4% ABV, and the information that this spirit comes from a 2011 vintage.
SMWS 122.40 'Smoky to a Tee' - Loch Lomond (Croftengea) 10 Year
Scotland/Highlands - Single Malt
Price Paid: USD 105 (2021)
Current Locally Available Price: No longer available
Age Statement: 10 Years
Strength: 57.4% ABV
Cask Makeup: Second fill ex-bourbon barrel
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled February 14, 2011; 208 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 13 months; bottles at 100%, 80%, and 70% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Starts with a medium level of peat smoke and some sharper flavors up front: citrus like lemon, sharp smoke, and some balsamic glaze. Sweetness arrives in the form of caramel apple candies, some sugary lemons, and a hint of vanilla bean; behind it all, there's a strong spirit character that's vegetal and damp. Wet wood, earth, tobacco smoke, fresh mulch, and moldy lemons all come to mind, along with a briny coastal character.
Palate: Lots of lemon, and the peat is pretty strong now - it takes on a bit of a seaside barbecue feeling, with that salty character and some black pepper spice. Lots of lighter orchard fruits form the top layer: dried citrus, sour green apple candies, lemon drop candies, maybe some melon at times. There are mild baking flavors: caramel and butterscotch, with a little bit of a bready flavor later. The mouthfeel is thick.
Finish: The finish is long, with noticeable peat still lingering for some time, but the smoke isn't overwhelming at all. There are more barbecue notes: hardwood smoked bacon, char, roasted jalapenos; nice spirity warmth is accented by lots of light fruits - lemon oil, lime candies, and stronger melon flavors. The texture stays quite oily.
Final Note: One of our first strongly peated whiskies from the SMWS, and it has very good balance for a peated whisky. The second fill maturation allowed the spirit notes to come forward just enough, but it never came across as too young; the peat was strong, but restrained in the finish. The bright fruits were nice and light, adding sweetness to counteract the smoke, and that mulchy character in the nose was an interesting addition to the tasting experience. A very good whisky overall, but it comes with the usual SMWS caveat that availability for any specific expression is extremely limited.
Our Average Rating: 7.8 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.57
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