My secondary school (name omitted for privacy) released a private cask-strength, single-malt bottling of Croftengea 12. Croftengea is one of seven expressions by the Loch Lomond distillery in the Highlands. It is reputed to be the most peated expression Loch Lomond makes, and apparently appears mostly in blends. This was aged for 12 years in a red wine cask (vineyard unknown). I bought a bottle and a sample dram, which I had neat in a glencairn.

Although this was a private bottling, there is a curiously similar IB from The Single Cask. Same distillery. Same expression from the distillery. Same ABV to the decimal point (55.7%). Same age (12 years). Same distilling and bottling years (2007-2019). Same type of cask. This private bottling had 188 bottles. TSC has 100. The guys who bottled this private bottling have worked together with TSC before. Just saying.

Distillery: Loch Lomond

Region: Highland

Price: N/A (The Single Cask IB at 108USD/85£/700ml)

Cask Type: Ex-red wine barrique

ABV: 55.7%

Color: 1.1, burnished

Nose: Fresh, light sea air, starts off very gentle on the nose for the strength; cow funk; burdock root; trodden tall grass; cranberries; overripe bananas on the ground; hint of rubber. After sitting for ~15 minutes: grape cordial (think Ribena) and blue cheese.

Palate: Mouthfeel is extraordinarily fine, delicate and light for the strength, but I would not call it thin. No burn or spice at all. Grass; mud in the field after rain; malt; cold grape jelly (no tannins or astringency like grape juice); sweaty funk; sweet kiwi. Maybe dragonfruit.

Finish: Hay, fades quickly to yield a long, but subliminal tail of passionfruit cake - sponge, frosting and puree.

Conclusion: I couldn't believe how delicate, smooth and refined this was for a peated whiskey at this strength. The funk builds gradually, before giving way to delicious tropical fruits and berries. There were no off notes. No smoke as well. A clear example of peat without smoke. I enjoyed every single note (except for maybe the blue cheese).

However, taken as a whole, I find this Croftengea too subdued and monotonous. None of the notes stuck out and took charge. None lingered to interplay. If the grape jelly and passionfruit cake notes were more intense and layered with the other notes, it would tie things together and take this whiskey up another level. I was also disappointed by the simple finish. Then again, I have been spoilt by the spectacularly long, fun and complex finish of Craigellachie 17.

Fondness for my school does not blind me to what could have been.

Score: 83.

If it were named by the SMWS: Cold Jelly After Rugby

Scotch Review #2, Whisky Network Review #3

H.Y.