Royal Lochnagar Selected Reserve 2018

Royal Lochnagar Selected Reserve 2018

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Highlands
Amber red
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, strawberry jam, honey, cherries, blueberries, cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, mouth coating, creamy, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Cherries, blueberries, strawberry jam, watermelons, artificial grape flavour, fresh cut grass, hints of cream. 
Finish: Long. Blueberries, medlar jelly, cinnamon, strawberry jam, leather. 

Comments: 

Very fruity, lots of fresh fruit, dried fruit, and even jammy fruit. It ends up being slightly unbalanced, although it’s still rather pleasant. There’s a decent herbal undertone that’s almost floral. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Royal Lochnagar 16yo 2004/2021 (2021 Special Release)

Royal Lochnagar 16yo 2004/2021 (2021 Special Release)

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Highlands
Dark gold
57.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, honey, peaches, butterscotch, guava, hints of yoghurt, hints of orange peel. With water, peaches, lemon zest, butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, airy, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Malted grains, peaches, guava, green tea, yoghurt, leather, hints of tobacco leaf. With water, peaches, green tea, butterscotch. 
Finish: Medium. Green tea, tobacco leaf, peaches, honey. 

Comments: 

One of the very nicely packaged 2021 Special Releases, also known as the Spring Stallion. Lots of sweet tropical fruit, with a slightly bitter, tannic edge. It fades to a tannic, fragrant herbal finish. Very good indeed. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Breath of the Highlands 1972

Breath of the Highlands 1972

Archive, Adelphi
Single malt - East Highlands
Amber gold
51.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Papaya, peaches, apricots, gooseberries, leather, hints of lime juice. With water, greengages, lime curd, leather, hints of pine needles. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, turns watery around the edges, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Apricots, peaches, leather, green tea, orange juice, lime juice, hints of aluminium foil. With water, more sour, orange juice, cinnamon, peaches, lemon thyme. 
Finish: Medium. Apricots, peaches, rambutans. 

Comments: 

Royal Lochnagar, a 23yo distilled in 1972 and bottled in 2007. Cask 1753. It’s magnificent, hugely fruity and complex, chock full of delicious stone fruit notes. It opens up with water, becoming citrusy, spicy and more vegetal. There’s also a touch of old bottle effect. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Royal Lochnagar 19yo 2000/2019

Royal Lochnagar 19yo 2000/2019

First Editions, Hunter Laing
Single malt - East Highlands
Golden
55.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, raisins, peaches, strawberry jam, golden syrup. With water, toast, green apples, raisins, hints of roast pork. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, syrupy, slightly astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Toast, strawberry jam, white grapes, green apples, vanilla, lemon zest. With water, sweeter, raisins, roast pork, lemon zest. 
Finish: Medium. Peaches, raisins, white grapes, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Cask HL16350. This is the first dram that I've tried from this new First Editions range from Hunter Laing. It's a rare Royal Lochnagar indie, and it's wonderful. Loads of jam and ham - stone fruit preserves, roast pork, and even some toast. With water, it opens up beautifully, with that meaty note starting to predominate, with more raisins. Lovely.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Royal Lochnagar Muscat Cask Distiller's Edition (11 yo 1996/2008)

Royal Lochnagar Muscat Cask Distiller's Edition (11 yo 1996/2008)

Official bottling
Single malt - East Highlands
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, red grapes, plums, apples, honey, vanilla, malty beer, hints of peat.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, loose, smooth.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Plums, red grapes, honey, chillies, hints of peaches, hints of peat.
Finish: Short. Oranges, apples, plums.

Comments:

Like plum jam and marmalade in a glass. Sweet, unctuous and velvety. Makes me feel slightly guilty for some reason - like I've been caught spooning jam out of the jar.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 103.13 (Royal Lochnagar 18 yo 1986/2005)

SMWS 103.13 (Royal Lochnagar 18 yo 1986/2005)

2005, SMWS
Single malt - East Highlands
Pale gold
55.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, cloves, cinnamon, soy sauce, roast chicken, oat bread, raisins.
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, volatile.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Raisins, candied winter melon, toast, brown paper, hints of peat, hints of dates, hints of lo han guo.
Finish: Long. Sour, winter melon, oat bread.

Comments:

I got the last dram in this bottle - it was a bin end, sitting on the bar, going for cheap. It's got some of the oat bread notes that characterise Royal Lochnagar for me, but allied with sweet fruit, almost herbal, and sumptuous roast chicken notes. Not a suitable one to end a tasting session normally, but it was a lucky find.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Royal Lochnagar 12 yo

Royal Lochnagar 12 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - East Highlands
Golden
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, oat bread, orange peel, cinnamon, hints of peat, hints of cardamom.
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, thickens in the mouth.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Raisins, oat bread, honey, cornflakes, hints of roast ham.
Finish: Medium. Honey, oat bread.

Comments:

Tasty and bready - much like raisin and oat bread rolls. Very more-ish, definitely an aperitif whisky, gets the saliva flowing. I had this before dinner at a restaurant, shame the food didn't match up to the drinks list.

Verdict:

I like this.

Royal Lochnagar 9 yo 1998 (1998/2007)

Royal Lochnagar 9 yo 1998 (1998/2007)

Provenance, Douglas Laing
Single malt - East Highlands
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaty, hint of smoke, pencil leads, grilled beef, apple sauce.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slightly watery.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Toast, lemon curd, malted barley, red fruits, sour plums.
Finish: Short. Peaches, slightly salty.

Comments:

Interesting combination in the nose - a little wild-tasting I think. Gets more mellow in the mouth (must be because the whisky is young). Nice meaty notes, but it's like having a steak placed in front of you and then having it whisked away.

Verdict:

I like this.