I’m not sure where the name Lochan Sholum comes from, but this should be middle-aged Lagavulin matured in a sherry cask. Bottled by Maltbarn and available to try at the upcoming Limburg Whisky festival, no doubt.
Lochan Sholum 14 yo 2003 (52,3%, Maltbarn 2017, sherry cask, 147 btl.)
Nose: clean, nicely leafy, with hints of wet wool and a little chalk. Dried kelp, soft Vicks and ginger in the background. Ink. There’s a cake-ish sweetness in the background, as well as a creamy almond note, but the sherry influence is not as big as, say, a Distiller’s Edition. Warm and sharp at the same time.
Mouth: oily, on mineral notes, earthy notes and plenty of brine. Somehow it’s quite narrow in the middle, with a kind of raw, smoky eau-de-vie side. Soot, lemons, ginger. Very, very clean.
Finish: medium, ashy, with sweet lemons.
Great nose and a very clean (albeit slightly narrow) palate. Always nice to see this kind of independent Lagavulin. Around € 130.
Score: 88/100