Oak Barrel Drams: Royal Lochnagar 16 Year Old Cask Strength 2021 - 30mL

Part of the 2021 Diageo Special Releases; a cask strength 16-year-old Royal Lochnagar matured in refill American and European oak casks and bottled at 57.5% abv.

The annual Diageo Special Releases have been a hotly anticipated part of the whisky calendar for the past 20 years. The series sees Diageo take full advantage of the dozens of Scotch whisky distilleries in their portfolio. The Special Releases series sees Diageo showcase rare, ghosted and workhorse distilleries, such as Brora, Royal Lochnagar, Teaninich and Benrinnes, that are otherwise never seen as single malt expressions. It also allows for experimentation with the maturation and delivery of some of their classic malts, such as Cragganmore, Lagavulin and Talisker.  

For this year, each of the eight whiskies in the collection express an individual character, inspired by mythical Scottish creatures that, according to legend, inhabit the lands surrounding the distilleries. This is brought to life with stunning bottle art, that was designed by renowned, Australian, digital illustrator Ken Taylor.   

Offical Tasting Notes:

Nose: Mellow and rounded, the nose swirls with subtle aromas. The top notes are lghtly fruity, suggesting orange zest and green apple. The fruit is encased in puff-pastry, resting on a lightly wood-spiced base. Water brings out firm with grapes and brings up the spiciness.

Palate: A creamy texture, a lively sweet taste with luscious fruity acidity mid-palate, and a developing oaky dryness. Water makes the texture and sweetness smoother still, as an appetising spicy warmth builds.

Finish: Welcoming and warming, like the first rays of the sun after a long winter, with lingering white pepper in the lightly wood-spiced aftertaste.  

Royal Lochnagar was founded in 1823 and today stands as the smallest member of the 29 distilleries in Diageo's vast stable. The distillery was granted a royal warrant in 1848; one of just 7 Scotch brands to ever receive this honour. Much like Oban, Royal Lochnagar run their condensers hot and open the doors of the stills after distillation to allow the copper to be rejuvenated by oxygen. In doing so they are able to produce a grassy, fruity new make with good mid-palate depth.