Spearhead Single Grain - 43%
Produced at the Loch Lomond Distillery, Spearhead is a marriage of tradition, experience and innovation.
Spearhead is different in that it is a grain whisky made from 100% malted barley, with a fermentation time of around 92 hours, distillation in a Coffey still and maturation in ex-bourbon barrels. Finally, the spirit is finished for 6 months in a unique combination of traditionally fire-toasted and infrared-toasted Virgin American Oak barrels.
Distillery notes:
Nose: Violet floral notes, dark berries - blackcurrant and blackberry, vanilla pods, caramel, dark chocolate.
Taste: Velvety mouthfeel rolls over the tongue. Red apple with lime citrus, vanilla fudge and light brown sugar.
Finish: Long, smooth and sweet with melted brown sugar.
Tasting notes:
Appearance: Copper gold, beads break quickly and fall quickly as thin legs.
Nose: Fruity and floral, dark berries, vanilla, pear drops, shortbread biscuits, caramel and herbaceous borders.
Palate: Slightly creamy mouthfeel, soft brown sugar, baked Bramley apples, vanilla caramel toffee, hints of citrus and a little ginger warmth.
Finish: Medium length, the soft brown sugar and ginger continuing from the palate. Slight oaky dryness appears late.
Summary: I sometimes struggle with grain whiskies but the use of 100% malted barley has produced a very approachable, good quality whisky which works perfectly well as a sipper. From the branding (including the brilliantly designed sample pouches in the images above) it’s evident this is a whisky designed for the 25-35 demographic. As a result, it’s perhaps unsurprising that it’s also been made with mixing in mind.
For me, this whisky really came into its own when mixed with ginger ale for a ‘Rusty Spear’, a refreshing, long summer drink. The Peach Head cocktail we also tried as part of the tasting session was pretty good too, the whisky notes still managing to make a contribution to the overall flavour.
Would I buy this as a sipper? Probably not, there are better options out there in the £30-40 price range that fulfil the role.
Would I buy this as a mixer? Absolutely, and I guess that means the makers have achieved their objective.
If you would like more information on this whisky follow the link to the company website.
This sample was part of a TweetTasting session organised by TheWhiskyWire and the Spearhead brand of Loch Lomond Distillery. The author has no affiliation with the distillery, all opinions are my own and remain completely impartial.
