Two Royal Lochnagar and Their Blend


September 6, 2024

Two Royal Lochnagar and Their Blend

There’s still very little Lochnagar around, and none at all from independent bottlers, for a good fifteen years now. As an aperitif, we'll start with the distillery's famous signature blend, ta-dah, John Begg! Incidentally, that's also the name of the distillery's founder, back in 1845.

(Magazine ad, USA, 1968)

You may read or re-read Manager Mike Nicolson's old interview on WF.

John Begg 'Blue Cap' (43%, OB, blend, +/-1955)

The neck label bears the inscription ‘By Appointment to the late Majesty King George V’, making it quite straightforward to date. It’s our first time tasting an expression from this era, but we remember the pre-war ‘gold cap’ was rather very good. Colour: gold. Nose: a wonderfully old-school blend, somewhat in the vein of White Horse but less smoky, more medicinal with a hint of camphor, and just as earthy with pronounced hydrocarbon notes. A rather magnificent nose, evoking memories of old Islay Mist as well. I nearly forgot to mention the ubiquitous polish found in many of these robust old blends (we avoid the word ‘virile’). Mouth: absolutely magnificent—oily, lemony, salty, and much more coastal than your usual Lochnagar. You’ll even find oysters here, along with citron liqueur, pink peppercorns, and, of course, that familiar polish. This venerable blend hasn’t lost an ounce of power. Finish: long, salty, peppery, with that typical broth-like character of old blends, but virtually no metallic notes. Comments: very, very impressive, this old John Begg—almost reminiscent of an old Islay. Or as one might say, an old Islay Mist.
SGP:463 - 89 points.

Royal Lochnagar 12 yo (40%, OB, +/-2023)

I have the impression that it is becoming a rarer sight on the shelves, but we still revisit it every couple of years. It’s a very good malt, though it’s always lacked a bit of oomph, probably due to a slightly stingy ABV. Colour: pale gold. Nose: paraffin and soap are present as usual, along with a hint of shampoo, candle wax, mashed turnip, vegetable soup, fruit peels, damp cardboard… and finally, apples that are not particularly fruity or aromatic, more like those from a very old apple tree. A handful of barley grains as well. Mouth: this is truly an old-school malt, somewhat austere, much in the style of its neighbour at Balmoral (in its day). Paraffin and polish again, a touch of leather and tobacco, ashes, but also some very high-quality orange marmalade and heather honey. It seems a bit better than I remember. Lovely oily texture. Finish: there are hints of the John Begg, particularly the curiously maritime side. Very nice pepper. Comments: I find this recent batch to be noticeably superior to its recent predecessors, even including the famous 'Game of Thrones' edition, a series that gave malt whisky enthusiasts quite a chuckle.
SGP:451 - 83 points.

Royal Lochnagar 10 yo ‘The Manager’s Dram’ (57.2%, OB, European oak, 2006)

I’m not sure who the manager was at the time, as the signature on the label doesn’t seem to match either Mike Nicolson or Donald Renwick. I do love the delightful mention of ‘European oak’—what a relief! It brings back fond memories of the days when managers only spoke of two types of casks, ‘European’ or ‘American’. The rest? Well, we couldn’t have cared less. Colour: gold. Nose: quintessential Lochnagar, packed with polish and old papers, but also orange zest and grilled polenta. One can’t help but applaud this refreshingly ‘different’ character. With water: a return of the medicinal notes (a mix of various pills) and even a touch of Fanta. Mouth (neat): superbly different indeed. Peppery lemon, slightly industrial oils, grass juice, polish, green walnuts, Chinese mushrooms (those large black ones), pipe tobacco, mead, with a certain lightly mouldy note that’s not unpleasant at all, and even a few feints. With water: this unleashes the citrus, which is splendid. The whole becomes much livelier and fruitier, also ‘cleaner’. Oranges, as well as apples and yellow peaches. Finish: long, oily, textured. Bitter oranges, leather, tobacco, lemon, and green pepper in the aftertaste. Comments: it’s easy to see why a manager would have selected this cask—it’s brimming with personality. Almost 88/100.
SGP:662 - 87 points.

We want more Lochnagar! Perhaps there will be some in the upcoming Prima & Ultima or Special Releases?

Check the index of all Lochnagar we've tasted so far