Loch Lomond 18-Year

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Obersalzberg, Germany V-E day

Dear Dennis,
The man who might have written on this card once controlled Europe - three short years ago when you were born. Today he is dead, his memory dispised (sic), his country in ruins. He had a thirst for power, a low opinion of man as an individual, and a fear of intellectual honesty. He was a force for evil in the world. His passing, his defeat - a boon to mankind. But thousands died that it might be so. The price for ridding society of bad is always high.
Love,
Daddy

The letter above was written by Richard Helms, to his son Dennis, on May 8, 1945 while Richard was serving in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in the European Theater of World War Two. Specifically, Richard's group was scouring the Berghof, Adolf Hitler's personal residence in the Bavarian Alps region of southern Germany. During the scouring, Mr. Helms came across Hitler's personal stationary and decided to pen the letter, beautifully summarizing the catalyst for so much pain and destruction.

So why the historical detour in a space that is dedicated to adult libations? Well dear readers, I've been in a contemplative mood lately. Two common companions during my evening contemplations tend to be a wee pour of whisky and whatever happens to be the book du jour that I am working though. Lately, said whiskey has been Loch Lomond 18 year and the book has been Inside Hitler's High Command by Geoffrey P. Megargee. The book dispels the myth that Germany's military leadership was impaired by Hitler's meddling and strategic blunders. The book illustrates quite decisively that Germany's military leadership was itself far more flawed than many realize. As I've been working through the book, my mind kept flashing back to that letter Richard Helms wrote his son.

Richard Helms went on to serve in the successor of the OSS, the Central Intelligence Agency, culminating as the Agency's Director during the Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon administrations. Today that letter hangs in the CIA Museum in Langley, Virginia. I've kept a picture of that letter in an archive of special mementos for the past nine years - at first because of the breathtaking symbolism of writing a note on Victory in Europe day, on the personal stationary of the very man that incited the need for a V-E day in the first place. But deeper than that, Mr. Helms perfectly captured the trifecta of personality traits that when possessed by a single person can induce unmeasurable pain and despair on entire populations - a thirst for power, a low opinion of man as an individual, and a fear of intellectual honesty. Mr. Helms's career in the CIA was not free of controversy and even today, his impact and policies remain debated and contentious. Rarely do simple encapsulations properly capture and reflect complex figures and complex times. Yet Mr. Helms's letter defies this phenomenon; I contend it is one of those exceedingly rare occurrences of a simple encapsulation perfectly capturing the root cause of a complex evil wrought on a complex world.

That's one companion down, let's shift gears to my second companion these recent nights - the whisky.

Loch Lomond 18 Year
Classification: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Country: Scotland
Region: Highland (Alexandria: 55.994N, -4.577W)
Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
Strength: 46.0% ABV (92.0° Proof)
Color: Unknown
Filtration: Non-chill Filtered
Maturation: 18 Years in American Oak
Price: $72.99 (ABC Fine Wine & Spirits)

tl;dr summary - An impulse inducing price tag for an eighteen year old malt that is ultimately enjoyable, but behaves like a whiskey a few years younger than its stated age. Calm peat accents a sherry/tidal pool vibe that sits alongside dried grass and a bit of caramel/toffee. A good, but not great whisky for your shelf whose price is its saving grace.

This Loch Lomond was an impulse purchase pure and simple. I was perusing a local store when I noticed the 18 year variant was marked down from it's lofty $89.99 all the way to $72.99. Typically, one can expect the price of an 18-year single malt to command three digits to left of its decimal point. I was instantly intrigued, but not automatically sold. When purchasing an unknown single malt, I scan the label for four criteria - strength (ideally something > 43%), filtration (non-chill filtered please), natural color (highly desired, but not a deal breaker), and an age statement (only consistently good reviews can overcome the absence of an age). Satisfying three of the four wishes combined with an enticing price meant the malt was whisked away and added to the tasting rotation.

Some post-purchase research relayed a few interesting tidbits about the Loch Lomond distillery. Loch Lomond produces their single malt scotch using both traditional copper pot stills and the so-called 'Long' stills which are copper pot stills whose necks contain rectification plates, similar to what you'd find in a column still. Another fascinating tidbit is Loch Lomond uses a myriad of different yeasts during fermentation - including two wine yeasts (French chardonnay and French sauvignon blanc). The different yeast fermentations are kept separate through distillation and blended only after maturation is complete. Floral, light, and grassy are the typical characteristics of a spirit produced by a Long still and as you'll see below, I would certainly concur.

Nose
A very interesting nose - first impression is of a salty tidal pool. A whisp of peat emerges shortly after, followed by a nice sherry sweetness. After adding a touch of water, a dry hay/grass note emerges as does barley sugar and even a bit of toffee.

Taste
The taste is less interesting than the nose - sipped neat, there is an alcohol punch and prickle that borders on harsh. A bit surprising given its age, but a splash of water calms the harshness completely. Peat, some baking spices, particularly cinnamon emerge and that sherry note lingers throughout the taste. The tidal pool note is not present, but what is present is a bit of band-aid/iodine/rubbery note. It is reminiscent of a sherried malt which is quite odd because I do not believe Loch Lomond uses any ex-sherry barrels in their maturation.

Finish
Oak and peat jump out and are the boldest components of the finish, I'd say 85% oak to 15% peat. This is not an Islay peat bomb by any measure, but the peat is there. There is a toffee/brown sugar aspect to the tail-end of the finish that is quite enjoyable. Some grape fruitiness as well, but a whisper, not a shout. Overall I'd classify the finish's duration as medium, leaning towards short. I'd expect a longer finish given the strength and age, but it is what it is as they say.

Overall
If I were to taste this whisky blind, I'd swear there was ex-sherry maturation involved, but alas, there is none. Loch Lomond uses exclusively ex-American oak, none of which ever held any wine. Internet sleuthing indicates it's Loch Lomond's mixture of yeast types as well as still variations that produce these varied impressions, which is quite remarkable.

How does this malt stack up for me? On the negative side, the whisky has more alcohol harshness than I would expect from an 18-year old malt and likewise, the finish is shorter than I would expect from a whisky this old and bottled at 46% ABV. On the positive side, a small addition of water resolves the alcohol harshness. The aroma of the whisky is quite enjoyable and unique, a mixture of peat, seashore, and hay, and last but certainly not least, it's value cannot be beat. You will be hard pressed to find an 18-year single malt for less.

Would I purchase a second bottle? Not for the typical un-discounted $90 retail prices I've seen. But the good news is that the 18-year is seemingly perpetually on sale in the $75 range. I won't purchase a second bottle straight away before I finish the bottle I have on hand, but I certainly see myself picking up a second bottle at some point in the future. It is a solid pour to have when you are craving a bit of peat but don't want an Islay bomb or when you are craving a bit of fruity heaviness but don't want a sherry bomb.

I have a long lineup of tastings in the hopper at the moment. Who knows what fun detour we'll take in future posts, perhaps an in-depth discussion of America's Cup yacht design evolution or yet another chapter in my on-going life's opus: Magnum P.I. - The 9th Season We All Deserve: Requiem for The Lads.

Stay safe everyone.