Royal Lochnagar is certainly a very pretty distillery. From the outside that is, I’ve never been in. But the location right next to the Balmoral Castle is beautiful. The Royal Lochnagar 12yo is one of the first bottles of single malt whisky I’ve owned, so whisky from this distillery will always be a bit more special for me.
There have been a range of different Distillers Editions from Royal Lochnagar, but the last one dates from a while back. In 2012 Diageo released a vintage from 2000, finished in a moscatel wine cask.
Royal Lochnagar 2000/2012 (40%, OB, Distillers Edition)
Nose: A floral start transforms into fruitier aromas. Mainly grapes, but also sweet oranges. Oh, and marzipan too. There’s some licorice and light oak, along with wet grass. Overall a bit weak though.
Taste: Quite sweet. Blackcurrant tea, figs and spices. Mainly black pepper. Some sugar and nuts. Fairy rich considering the low abv.
Finish: Short and sweet.
Rating: 82
A nice mellow dram, good for everyday dramming, but it won’t set your world on fire.