2006 Croftengea 12 Year Old "Hepburn's Choice" K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)

This gorgeous little peater is more proof the preconception in malt whisky does a disservice to all involved. Personally, I have a terrible image of the Loch Lomond distillery. Mostly that's because the distillery bottlings are somewhat underwhelming, but also because some of the single casks we've come across have been down right unpleasant. So when I saw this peated version I was not expecting much. How goddamned wrong I was! This is Highland peat in its most pure form. Here the smoke has developed in a completely different way from its Islay cousins. On the nose powerful smoke ham and delicate stone fruit. There's still a subtle salinity -- oyster brine poured over roasted apricots. Some herring being smoked in the distance. On the palate it's absolutely pristine. Fresh clean soil, smoldering clean coal briquettes, mirabelle. This is peated whisky that will satisfy even the most sensitive palate, but still interest a real Islay lover. Altogether a somewhat Bowmore-y Highlander that is making me very, very happy.