This whisky is part of the travel retail exclusive Remarkable Stills collection from the Highlands distillery of Loch Lomond. The collection celebrates the breadth of whiskies that can be created at Loch Lomond. Each shines a spotlight on a key element of the distillery’s style. The 13 Years Old is first matured in American oak casks then transferred to Swedish oak casks for a final maturation finish. It is bottled at 47.3% ABV and is available in a one litre bottle through duty free retailers for £65.
Loch Lomond is located in the small Scottish town of Alexandria, close to the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, near Glasgow. Loch Lomond is one of a handful of Scottish distilleries with a cooperage on-site. However, they are the largest with over 30,000 casks being checked, repaired, or rejuvenated each year. Loch Lomond distillery is unlike any other as it utilises both traditional swan neck and unique straight neck stills. The Loch Lomond Remarkable Ingenuity 13 Year Old Single Malt unites spirit drawn from both still types.
They also use a variety of yeast strains and extended fermentation times. They take two cuts of spirit (high and low strength) and produce unpeated and peated single malt through the stills. Their cooperage gives full control over cask selection and maturation. This innovative and imaginative variety of process allows Loch Lomond’s Master Blender, Michael Henry, to create a complex range of whiskies. These have a depth of character within each whisky released.
The Loch Lomond Remarkable Ingenuity 13 Year Old Single Malt unites spirit drawn from both the straight neck and swan neck stills.
Our Tasting Notes
Golden in colour this whisky is loaded with creaminess and honeyed sweetness mixed with plenty of spice. On the nose, there are handfuls of juicy sultanas and tropical fruit – dried papaya and passionfruit sauce – plus a big burst of vanilla. Nuttiness in the form of both sweet almonds and bitter walnuts works well with earthy grains and straw-like grassiness, with hints of candied lime and lemon zest.
An initial confected sweetness on the palate swiftly moves into big bold spiciness and wood notes. The mouthfeel is rich and viscous. The woody spice notes remind us of cloves, black cardamon and dried powdered ginger. Vibrant rich tropical flavours are characteristic of papaya, passionfruit, mango, banana, and kiwi. Dark bitter chocolate, cocoa powder, and vanilla sugar, are balanced by a hint of menthol eucalyptus and lime juice.
This finish maintains the underlying vanilla sweetness that is ever-present. This tempers the bold spiciness that really does linger along with the rich oak and dark chocolate.
What’s The Verdict?
This bottling offers really good value – and you get a lot of characterful whisky for your money. This whisky gives depth and complexity, matching sweetness with a woody twist. While we are not completely sure whether it is the Swedish oak element that adds to the range of spice, there certainly is an extra spicy depth to the whisky. This is especially true on the finish. Definitely one whisky to pick up as you travel through an airport this summer.
