The latest offering from WhiskyNerds comes from Loch Lomond distillery. It’s an Old Rhosdhu 1990. The brand name was last used in 2000 for a softer style of spirit.
We already had a sister cask bottled for Taiwan some time ago.
Old Rhosdhu 29 yo 1990 (48,2%, WhiskyNerds & Wu Dram Clan 2020, refill hogshead #416, 346 btl.)
Nose: a mix of dry, leafy hints (hay, dried meadow flowers) with some waxy notes and subtle dusty, vegetal notes. Wet newspaper. Growing notes of wholegrain bread. Caramel. Yellow apples and melons. An old-style, rather herbal and rather understated profile.
Mouth: sweet and honeyed, on vanilla cream and hints of guava and bananas. Some pink grapefruit, making this slightly Irish (even though it misses some of the tart notes that I love in Bushmills for example). After the fruits it returns to malty notes, always with this herbal, bittersweet grassy side, showing a little mint, cumin and white pepper. Subtle resin too.
Finish: medium, with hints of porridge, more mint, herbs and soft wood spice.
A peculiar, dusty style on the nose but the generous fruits on the palate (Irish but not quite) make it a lot more interesting. Around € 230, still available from Passion for Whisky or Best of Wines for instance.