I opened this bottle a few months ago but have been too busy to accurately capture the deliciousness of the Loch Lomond Buitenverwachting single malt 6 year old whisky. Let me say this upfront: It was the best whisky I have tasted in many, many months.
I also knew I had a Scotland trip planned, so I savoured the bottle slowly and now publish my tasting notes just before leaving for the UK and Scotland.
The Loch Lomond distillery is a Highland distillery in Alexandria, Scotland, near Loch Lomond. It is a relatively new distillery. The distillery opened in 1964, with production beginning the following year. They started producing grain whisky in 1994. The owners added two new stills in 1999, and two more were added in 2015.
It operates a unique set of four stills, producing many different malt styles. Other brands in the portfolio include Littlemill, Inchmurrin, Glen Scotia, Clans Man and High Commissioner blended whisky.
The Loch Lomond Buitenverwachting whisky is a single malt from Inchmurrin using straight-neck stills. The last 6 months were spent finishing in Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot casks from the well-known Buitenverwachting winery. The Buitenverwachting winery is situated in Constantia in the Western Cape.
Red wine cask finishes are not that well known in whisky, but the red wine casks add an interesting dimension. Some of my favourite drams were finished in red wine casks. My overall favourite is the Three Ships Pinotage cask. Other distilleries that use red wine casks include Bunnahabhain, Longrow, Tullibardine, Glenfiddich and Dalmore.
Also Read: Three Ships Shiraz Cask Finish 11 yo Whisky
The Buitenverwachting 6 year old is a limited release and was followed up by two 7 year old Loch Lomond Buitenverwachting whisky releases. The first was another red wine cask finish, and the second was finished in white wine casks.
REGION: Highland
ABV: 46%
COLOUR: Golden red
NOSE: Fruity sweetness, florals with hints of roses. Hints of vanilla, malt and nutmeg. Delicious and elegant. It reminded me for a second of the floral smell you get when you walk through the perfume section in Duty-Free.
PALATE: Rich, fruity sweetness with toffee, malt and light spices. Red berries, hints of vanilla and nutmeg mixed with pear. Smooth and complex with a luxurious mouth feel. Hints of tannin and bits of drying oak.
FINISH: Long and lingering with berries, creamy vanilla and nutmeg.
RATING: DIVINE
The Loch Lomond Buitenverwachting whisky is just perfection; lustrous and intricate. It was the same colour as the beautiful Mauritius sunsets. It has a wonderful balance between the sweeter berry notes and soft spices. I will be sad to see this bottle finish. I hope I can get my hands on the white wine cask finish so I can also try it.
Both are limited releases. I see that there are still a few of the white wine cask-finished bottles around at Whiskybrother and WhiskyShop.
The Loch Lomond Buitenverwachting 6 year old whisky retailed for around R 700 when it was available.
Also Read: The Macallan Quest Whisky
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