Reviews of affordable whiskies with some entertaining tales along the way…
Welcome to part three of a series of reviews that focus on single cask releases from Campbeltown-based independent bottler, Watt Whisky. This is a series of quickfire reviews that dispense with the backstory and get straight to the point. If you would like to know more about the whisky or the bottler, check out the links after the review. This 5-year-old Watt Whisky Croftengea single malt was distilled at Loch Lomond Distillery. The whisky was produced in 2017 and matured in a single barrel before being bottled at 57.1%.
*Full disclosure: the sample featured in this review was sent to me free of charge. As always I will strive to give an honest opinion on the quality of the dram and the value for money it represents.
Watt Whisky Croftengea
Smell: Malty. Ashy. Smoky. There’s some honey and some buttery shortbread. Vanilla. Creme brulee. Touch of sawdust. Cinnamon. Clove. Brown sugar. Water brought lightness and freshness to the nose.
Taste: Big salty, peaty arrival. Black pepper. Toffee and vanilla. Honey and digestive biscuits. More pepper and dry smoke on the finish. Medium-bodied with an oily mouthfeel. The smoky finish lingers for an age. With water some orange, apricot and peach on the arrival. New oak mid-palate. Touch of lemon before the finish.
Thoughts: This is a really solid offering from Watt Whisky. The spirit has personality and character and that’s working in harmony with the bourbon barrel to create something incredibly satisfying. It’s weighty and robust yet occasionally shows a lighter side, particularly on the nose and whilst heavily peated, the palate offers much more than just a big blast of smoke. Nicely balanced. Delicious.
Price: £63. The most reasonably priced of the batch thus far and the one I’d be most likely to take home. Might not work out for you if you generally don’t like peat although it’s worth remembering that this isn’t Islay peat and as such, isn’t as medicinal or pungent. Good dram at a decent price.
Further reading:
Read about my 2017 visit to Loch Lomond Distillery here: https://ascotonscotch.com/2017/09/28/loch-lomond-distillery-single-cask-review/
For more on Watt Whisky visit: https://wattwhisky.com/
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