Review #307 - Campbeltown Loch Blended Malt
Springbank distillery created this modern iteration of the Campbeltown Loch blended malt by combining all five single malt brands from the region's three distilleries: Springbank (Springbank, Longrow, and Hazelburn), Glengyle (Kilkerran), and Glen Scotia. Because of that, this will be a mixture of peated and unpeated components, as well as combination of double distilled spirit, partially triple distilled spirit, and fully triple distilled spirit. Shell-and-tube condensers and worm tub condensers are both used in the production process - this should have quite a variety of flavors.
The casks used for these vattings include ex-bourbon and ex-sherry, and like many of the Campbeltown whiskies, batch variation is not feared, but celebrated, leading to some occasional changes in color and flavor profile. The batch we're reviewing was bottled in October of 2022, and it comes with a relatively rich natural copper color.
Campbeltown Loch Blended Malt
Scotland - Blend
Price Paid: USD 70 (2023)
Current Locally Available Price: USD 67 (2024)
Age Statement: NAS
Strength: 46% ABV
Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; batch bottled October 2022
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 4 times over 3 months; bottles at 100%, 80%, 70%, and 60% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Rich, with a wide breadth of flavors. Soft musty peat smoke and subtle funk start us out, along with industrial oils, even motor oil; quite mineral at times, and there's a hint of coastal salt and herbs. A wide variety of fruits can be found: lighter fruit like orange, guava, melon, mango, and papaya, but also darker stewed fruits and some root beer notes (or sassafras). Leans a little sweet, and we get peaches later - becomes more tropical with time.
Palate: A medium thickness mouthfeel; this leans sweet, then adds some umami and spice notes. Fruits again of guava, toasted orange rind, cantaloupe, and honeydew melon - quite tropical. Wood smoke comes with the mild to medium peat smoke, and that old school, industrial side of the spirit returns, along with just a hint of spiky youth. Subtle butterscotch and pepper spice arrives, and hints of sour malt can be found.
Finish: Medium-long; sweet peat lingers, growing softer, and fruits are still a dominant theme. Orange and different types of melon are the most common, and now a bit of baking spice - pepper and cardamom. More malty character comes in time, along with soft oak notes.
Final Note: Can't recommend this one enough - this is a great whisky. In the category of non-age-stated blended whiskies, we haven't had much that compares to this, and the 46% bottling strength is enough to convey tons of layers and complexity. A fantastic batch - industrial funk and tropical fruits galore.
This isn't necessarily cheap for a blended whisky (albeit a blended malt), but in terms of the flavor it delivers, this is very good value. Here in the US, we're seeing this bottle for $65 to $70, more than the equivalent price in Europe, but we're still happy to pay it for such an interesting whisky.
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: 7.55
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
