Google WF's Quirky Little Duos, today Arbikie vs Lochside
 
 

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Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé!
   
   
 

January 14, 2025


Whiskyfun

Quirky

WF's Quirky Little Duos,
today Arbikie vs Lochside

 

 

Moving on with our new little series that don't make much sense. We were having a single little Lochside, a 1981, which we’d never tasted, and we were waiting on a Ben Nevis from the same year to sample them together, as the two distilleries were at one time owned by the same proprietor. However, that Ben Nevis never arrived. What’s more, we realised we’d never actually tasted a 1981 Ben Nevis, despite having tasted 360 different expressions of BN already, which made the chances of ever finding one even slimmer. So, we decided instead to enjoy the renowned Lochside alongside an Arbikie, which, of course, has absolutely nothing to do with it, except that both distilleries are (or were) located in or near Montrose on the east coast. Does that explanation work for you? I know, it’s a bit of a stretch. Anyway, I’ll add that, in theory, both whiskies should be extremely fruity.

 

 

Arbikie 5 yo ‘Cask Strength Edition 1’ (59.7%, OB, Distillers Series, Scottish rye, 966 bottles, 2024)

Arbikie 5 yo ‘Cask Strength Edition 1’ (59.7%, OB, Distillers Series, Scottish rye, 966 bottles, 2024) Four stars
Single farm, field-to-bottle rye whisky (thus grain whisky) from 4 casks, from ‘one of the most sustainable distilleries in the world’ where they also make various gins and vodkas. Along the rye here they add wheat and malted Concerto barley. Colour: light gold. Nose: intensely fruity and floral at first, full of tangerines, lavender, and violets, then develops a ‘gin’ side or even hints of young marc from Burgundy for the uninitiated taster. We’re not at all on a rye that smells of rye bread, if you see what I mean. With water: it moves much closer to cereal, in a very pronounced way. A subtle whiff of quality cologne. Mouth (neat): I like it, it’s very excessive but the kind of imbalance one enjoys. Loads of black pepper, pink pepper, mandarin zest, coriander seeds, and Earl Grey tea, with a sharper rye profile than on the nose but also hints of buckwheat and an ultra-fruity character. With water: this gets almost perfect, more earthy, grainy, and with a wider variety of fruits and roots. Gentian, pear… Even a curious saline touch. After all, the North Sea isn’t far away. Finish: not overly long but very clean and chiselled. In short, more ‘rye’. Comments: quite the tasting adventure, where every drop of water counts. You could have fun with your pipette for a good two hours—I’d even have liked to test several different waters if I’d had the time. In short, it started rather low but reached…
SGP: 841 – 85 points.

Lochside 1981/2001 (61.0%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #92.10)

Lochside 1981/2001 (61.0%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #92.10) Five stars
I’ve never had the chance to taste this Lochside; only Angus has. I regret that no one talks about Lochside anymore, and that it’s entirely unavailable nowadays—it was a magnificently fruity malt, though sadly neglected by its last owners, the Spanish group D.Y.C., who had released a rather uninspiring official 10-year-old expression, probably tailored for southern markets where whisky was often consumed with plenty of water and ice. The distillery closed in 1992 after being acquired, along with DYC, by Allied, and was later demolished and even ravaged by a fire. In short, it met a fate rather similar to that of Littlemill. Colour: white wine. Nose: I’d almost forgotten how exotic Lochside’s fruitiness could be. Here, alongside a little musk, soft smoke, and blackcurrant buds, we find an entire container of passion fruits plus some pink grapefruits to complete the profile. I don’t think any grand fruity malt (old Bowmore, Laphroaig, Littlemill, Bushmills, Clynelish, etc.) ever showcased a profile even vaguely similar. With water: the pink grapefruits take the lead, joined by a hint of Petit and Grand Manseng wine. Mouth (neat): a bag of fruit sweets. Lemon, orange, mango, blackcurrant, redcurrant, pineapple, and, of course, passion fruit. It then transitions into a pure ‘maracuja sherbet’. With water: its only, very slight flaw is a touch of monotony. After adding water, you end up with something resembling a mix of passion fruit and blackcurrant juice—let’s say a 75/25 split. Finish: much the same. Comments: the Lochside tower was so beautiful! Remember, it was originally a brewery.
SGP: 751 – 91 points.

 

 

 
   

 

 

 

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