Scotland, Eastern Highlands: Single malt whisky through the producing distilleries: history, making, production and tasting notes
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Lochside

Description of the whisky

The distillery

Lochside distillery
Lochside Distillery
Montrose
Angus DD10 9AD
Owner: Pernod-Ricard
Creation date 1957

The Lochside distillery has been founded by the Mac Nab distillers company on the site of an old brewery (Deuchars & Sons) settled in the town of Montrose in 1957.
The distillery was producing malt and grain whisky up to the early 1970's. The distillery was sold to the Spanish group Domecq who immediately stopped the grain whisky production.
The company Allied Lyons bought the distillery in 1994, and it was mothballed soon after this.
The distillery has been demolished in 2005 and replaced by a garden cent er. The locals thought it would have been better to turn it into a museum about the Distillery`s history...

Lochside: independent bottlings

Lochside

Old Malt Cask, 21 years
Collection
 Old malt cask
Age
 21 years
Alcohol percentage
 50,0 %
Bottler
 Douglas Laing
Dates
 Distil: 1/05/1979 Bottling: 1/06/2001
Bottle
 306 btls
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered
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links & average quote
 86/100

The nose reveals green apple and cut grass hints, and the palate does not deny the first impression.

This unexpected whisky is very good.

A not very well known whisky from a mothballed then dismantled distillery... One of the few distilleries from the east coast.
This version of this rare whisky is really exceptional. Exceptional because of its alcohol degree (50%). What a freshness. The cut grass smell (or is it cut seaweed...) prepares the palate to an explosion of tastes. The closing of the distillery is really a shame. For the happy few who can buy this bottle, I would say: do not hesitate. It is a great whisky. Do not drink it too fast, it is becoming a rare bottle...
88/100
The second tasting of this exceptional malt just confirmed the excellent impression left by the first one. A very fresh nose, with cut grass hints, followed by an extreme complexity in the palate and characterized by an exceptional freshness. A very great finis. What a wonderful bottle. Really an exceptional one.
88/100
The nice and fresh fragrance of cut grass still dominates this exceptional malt. In the palate, the acidity of green apple, mixed to malt gives the impression to have an acid drop in the mouth, without however the sugar characterizing this sweets very often. But this whisky is just a delicacy... A very nice finish, still marked by freshness and very discrete and remote woody touches.
88/100
The nose is very fresh, very peppery with discrete hints of pear and dry cut grass, not yet hay... Gentle and pleasant tingling as well. In the palate, first a kind of acid bitterness, very spectacular with at the time refined woody hints, citrus fruit, exotic fruit spices, and developing on a kind of bitter acidity. Strange trip. The finish is exceptional, lingering, pleasant, marked by the memory of too ripe exotic fruits and all the warmth of an excellent whisky.
88/100
The nose presents nice floral notes mixed with some discreet yeast hints followed by some fruity acidity (more like acid drop than unripe fruit). Nice freshness anyway.
The mouth is both sweet and acid and develops on some alcoholic aggressiveness before consolidating on a kind of bitterness. Nice complexity anyway.
The finish is rather long and marked by the same freshness the nose was, once the alcohol impression dims...

Probably this bottle suffered from aeration. The impression is quite different from last time (well this was a few years ago)
79/100

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Lochside

Old Malt Cask 1990, 15 years old
Collection
 Old malt cask
Age
 15 years
Alcohol percentage
 50,0 %
Bottler
 Douglas Laing
Cask
 Refill Hogshead
Dates
 Distil: 10-1990 Bottling: 10-2005
Bottle
 0 of 275 btls
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links & average quote
 84/100
Lochside Old Malt Cask 15
This is a pleasant floral nose. Notes of pine and a touch of hay.
The mouth is a delicious mix between slightly bitter notes and a pleasant acidity. Very complex, developing from nutty and fine wood motes to unripe fruit ones. A perfect balance between freshness and pleasant bitterness.
The finish is lingering and warm. First an impression of alcohol, quickly followed by the return of the pleasant woody bitterness.
84/100
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Lochside
Berry's own Selection
1981

Age
 23 years
Alcohol percentage
 46 %
Bottler
 Berry Bros & Rudd
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Lochside Berry Bros & Rudd

A rather fresh nose, with hints of fish and lemon. Some iodine on the background. Pepper and exotic fruits. The mouth is full of exotic fruits, pineapple or mango, a nice complexity, slightly acid notes mixed to chocolate, a touch of smoke and some salt remains. The finish is quite long, warm with a nice memory of exotic fruits.

84/100

What a nice spring and bucolic fragrance. Fresh cut grass and a bunch of flowers. A rare freshness and a nice balance completed by a very discrete peppery note.
The same pleasure immediately sweeps this palate. A lot of complex nuances rather close to each other while offering a vast variety of tastes. Still some grass and also some honey but without this sickly aspect it sometimes has, exotic fruits, banana. Just happiness.
The finish is as wonderful as the nose and mouth were. A slight bitterness, good ripe walnut amazingly dominates the finish, while those impressions were not detected at nosing or tasting. This excellent bottle developed quite good since the first opening.
90/100
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Lochside

Scott's Selection, Single Blend 1964
Collection
 Natural Cask Strength
Age
 42 years
Alcohol percentage
 47,7 %
Bottler
 Scott's Selection
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength (This whisky is a single blend. This means a singlemalt whisky has been mixed with a single grain from the same distillery (Lochside). In this case, the blending happened in the cask in the very beginning of the riping process, and not at the time of bottling. )
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links & average quote
 Forum 93/100
Lochside single blend 1964
An amazing and marvellous nose, perfectly balanced between roasted hazelnuts and sherry. A very fine nose, full of nuances. A delight!
The palate is very complex and pleasantly marked by discrete wood hints, a touch of bitterness and a touch of acidity, just enough to be pleasantly fresh while keeping a very nice maturity. What a balance!
The finish perfectly prolongs the mouth. What a delight, prolonging the mouth and nose pleasure for long minutes.
93/100
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Lochside

Gordon & MacPhail 1991 Reserve (for Netherlands) cask 15213
Collection
 Reserve
Age
 17 years
Alcohol percentage
 61,2 %
Bottler
 Gordon & MacPhail
Cask number
single cask 15213
Dates
 Distil: 1991 Bottling: 2008
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 84/100
Lochside Gordon 7 Macphail Reserve 91
A very nice nose, both fresh and smooth with notes of vanilla and green apple.
The mouth is first relatively dry and bitter, but develops quickly on very pleasant fruity notes. Pleasant despite the obvious presence of alcohol... It deserves some drops of water...! Very nice complexity with those fruity notes sharing the attention with those bitter hints.
The finish is lingering and very pleasantly fruity, with some unexpected notes of chocolate and some nutty hints after a while.
84/100
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Lochside

Gordon & MacPhail 1991-2010 Reserve
Collection
 Reserve
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 59,7 %
Bottler
 Gordon & MacPhail
Cask number
single cask 15217
Dates
 Distil: 1991 Bottling: 2010
Bottle
 149 btls
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 87/100
Lochside Gordon&McPhail 2010

Color: Gold
A superb nose with notes of malt first, followed by a nice move to nuts, cashews, cocoa. A very nice balance.
In the mouth, after a first impression of sweetness in the perfect extension of the nose,a move to slightly bitter cocoa notes , dark chocolate and an obvious presence of alcohol.
Nice balance. The mouth is as interesting as was the nose.
Nice finish long and warm. Notes of cocoa powder, combining bitterness and malty sweetness.
87/100
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Lochside

Daily Dram Eso Child 17 years
Collection
 Daily Dram
Age
 17 years
Alcohol percentage
 46 %
Bottler
 Bresser&Timmer / The Nectar
Dates
 Distil: 1991 Bottling: 2008
Bottle
 252 btls
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 79/100
Lochside Eso Child
First a relatively discrete nose which fortunately opens rather quickly develops soon on nice floral notes, smooth hints of marshmallow and pleasant fruity notes.
The mouth shows a lack of amplitude and is relatively plain compared to the expectation created by the nose. Despite the low level of complexity, it keeps a obvious character even if I expected something more from this whisky.
The finish is rather long and pleasant even if one could have expected some more complexity and tastes.
79/100
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Lochside

Daily Dram Lochside 29 yo 51,8%
Collection
 The Nectar of Daily Drams
Age
 29 years
Alcohol percentage
 51,8 %
Bottler
 Bresser&Timmer / The Nectar
Cask
 Sherry
Particularity
 (Joint bottling with The Whisky Agency)
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links & average quote
 88/100
Lochside 29 daily dram

Color: Dark Mahogany
Strong smells of sherry emerge from this whisky. Very smooth but with a nice bitterness, notes of dark chocolate and hints of plum jam.
In the mouth, a very nice presence. An undeniable winey side, a very nice complexity, where the sherry undoubtly dominates , but with very interesting slightly acidic notes. Unripe plums and coffee. A very pleasant mouth anyway.
The final contrasts a bit with the mouth, because of that much more bitter side, cigar box, while keeping the long and sweet memory of fruit. It is lingering and warm .
88/100
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Lochside

Daily Dram Lochside 29 yo 48,6%
Collection
 The Nectar of Daily Drams
Age
 29 years
Alcohol percentage
 48,6 %
Bottler
 Bresser&Timmer / The Nectar
Dates
 Distil: 1981 Bottling: 2010
Particularity
 (Joint bottling with The Whisky Agency)
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links & average quote
 Forum 91/100
Lochside 29 DD
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Lochside

46 years
Collection
 First Cask, WIN's 5th Anniversary Special Bottling
Age
 46 years
Alcohol percentage
 40,6 %
Bottler
 Whisky Import Nederland
Cask
 refill sherry cask
Dates
 Distil: 11/1963 Bottling: 3/2010
Bottle
 77 btls
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links & average quote
 Forum 90/100
Lochside Single Grain 1963 win
The nose is a pleasant mix between coconut hints and sherry, Nice complexity and nice balance. Coconut gives it a slightly bitter though very smooth character. Combined with sherry, the result is more than really pleasant. Except if one does not like coconut (fortunately it is not my case).
In the palate, the same impression of mixed sherry and coconut. Very complex and pleasantly enhanced by peppery notes.
A lingering finish where sherry is still present and clearly dominated by nice coconut hints.
88/100
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Lochside: samples

Lochside

21 years
Age
 21 years
Alcohol percentage
 62,3 %
Bottler
 Scotch Single Malt Circle
Cask
 bourbon
Cask number
single cask 20622
Dates
 Distil: 10/1987 Bottling: 12/2008
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
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links & average quote
 0/100
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Lochside

Spirit of Scotland
Age
 21 years
Alcohol percentage
 40 %
Bottler
 Gordon & MacPhail
Dates
 Distil: 1966 Bottling: 1987
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links & average quote
 0/100
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Lochside

Cask Strength Collection 40 years
Collection
 Cask strength Collection
Age
 40 years
Alcohol percentage
 47,3 %
Bottler
 Signatory
Cask
 sherry hogshead
Cask number
single cask 7535
Dates
 Distil: 22-12-1966 Bottling: 29-06-2007
Bottle
 114 btls
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 88/100
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Lochside: not in collection

Lochside

Clan Denny, 42 y.o.
Collection
 Clan Denny
Age
 42 years
Alcohol percentage
 44,1 %
Bottler
 Douglas Laing
Cask number
single cask HH2239
Dates
 Distil: 1963
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links & average quote
 Forum 87/100
The nose is extremely pleasant with smooth notes of spices and mint. Very contrasted, mixing the sweetness of fruit with pepper and cut grass to mint. The palate is pleasant too. A touch of nutty bitterness above ripe fruit notes. The finish is rather long and warm, essentially marked by the memory of wood tastes. This is an excellent bottle
84/100
A very nice nose marked by grilled hazelnut, sweet spices and a touch of very pleasant freshness.
The palate also presents a nice contrast and develops from marshmallow to fine wood through nice fruity hints.
The finish is pleasant and slightly bitter while keeping the memory of the pleasant moments in the mouth. It would have been nice if it was a bit longer, and a bit more alcohol could also have enhanced the whole.
88/100
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Lochside

22 years
Collection
 Authentic Collection
Age
 22 years
Alcohol percentage
 59 %
Bottler
 Cadenhead
Cask
 Sherry Hogshead
Dates
 Distil: 1981 Bottling: 07-2003
Bottle
 276 btls
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
links & average quote
 BT2007 92/100
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Lochside

The Perfect Dram 1987
Collection
 The Perfect Dram
Age
 21 years
Alcohol percentage
 62,4 %
Bottler
 The Whisky Agency
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
links & average quote
 92/100
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Lochside

1981-2010 54%
Collection
 Insects Series
Age
 29 years
Alcohol percentage
 54 %
Bottler
 The Whisky Agency
Cask
 bourbon cask
Bottle
 183 btls
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 Forum 93/100
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Lochside

1981-2010 52,4%
Collection
 Still lifes II
Age
 29 years
Alcohol percentage
 52,4 %
Bottler
 The Whisky Agency
Cask
 Oloroso hogshead
Dates
 Distil: 1981 Bottling: 2010
Bottle
 172 btls
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
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links & average quote
 Forum 92/100
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Lochside

1981-2010
Age
 29 years
Alcohol percentage
 55,5 %
Bottler
 Whiskybox
Cask
 Sherry butt
Cask number
single cask 962
Dates
 Distil: 11-05-1981 Bottling: 30-06-2010
Bottle
 140 btls
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 89/100
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Lochside

Lochside 1981/2009 for LMDW
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 56,1 %
Bottler
 Gordon & MacPhail
Cask
 Refill sherry hogshead
Cask number
single cask 803
Dates
 Distil: 1981 Bottling: 2009
Bottle
 199 btls
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 Forum90/100
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Lochside

1991 Reserve

Age
 12 years
Alcohol percentage
 46 %
Bottler
 Gordon & MacPhail
links & average quote
 84/100
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Lochside

Daily Dram Lochside 29 yo 48,6%
Collection
 The Nectar of Daily Drams
Age
 29 years
Alcohol percentage
 48,6 %
Bottler
 Bresser&Timmer / The Nectar
Dates
 Distil: 1981 Bottling: 2010
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength (Joint bottling with The Whisky Agency)
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 Forum 91/100
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Eastern Highlands n

Eastern Highlands map

Dozens of distilleries have been created in this area during the 19th century. The area is situated at the East of the Highlands, covering the Angusshire, parts of Aberdeenshire, Kincardineshire and even of Invernesshire. The Spey river has its source in the area.
Currently about half a dozen distilleries are active in the area.

<< previous distillery << >> next distillery >>

Click on the map for a list of the distilleries of the area, on the title for further information about the Eastern Highlands area, and if you want to make an "alphabetical journey" through the area, please click on one of the pagode roofs, according to the direction you want to follow