Recently, petite Danish distillery Fary Lochan has spawned an increasing number of indie releases. The latest offering of such nature is this 5-year-old single cask bottling via Germany’s Whisky Druid. As a die-hard Fary Lochan fan, I did not think twice about getting it; and I also could not leave it closed for too long. After sipping it attentively on different occasions, I can now say: The druid himself, Michel Reick, picked an outstanding cask! While the whisky is comparatively young even for Fary Lochan’s current standards, it has developed marvelously! Despite entering the bottle in natural cask strength, the dram greets the taste receptors in a palatable, round, and mellow way. But at the same time it also shows a good amount of vigor. The balance between smoothness and strength is exceptional here. As is the richness of offered tastes! On top of a mouth-watering assortment of sweet and chewy treats, this wonderful Danish whisky also offers fruity, nutty, zesty, and even salty notes. Plus a variety of green-ish sensations that are the product of Fary Lochan’s unique nettle-smoking technique. When applying this procedure, the distillery team dries the malted barley over burnt nettles collected in the woods nearby; they are the only whisky makers in the world to do this! Last but not least, there is one more thing I would like to praise: Whereas Fary Lochan’s own releases come in half-a-liter bottles, Whisky Druid used its signature, bulbous 0.7 liter bottles here. This is good because it means that this super-tasty dram will last a wee bit longer!

by Tobi

Eye: Honey-colored.
Nose: A puffy cloud evaporates from the glass. It is jam-packed with sweet treats like fairy floss, carrot cake, icing sugar, toffee cream, strawberry pudding, lemon jelly, and candy apple. Once the whisky has gotten some air, different kinds of yellow and orange fruits step forth. To round things off, there is also a some fresh saw dust, some eggnog, and some puff pastry. All in all, this is a very amazing mix of smells!
Palate: Typical of Fary Lochan, the dram is really heavy and oily. At times, it almost feels gooey in the mouth. In the beginning, the whisky is a wee bit salty. But then it becomes increasingly sweet and chewy – as in salted trail mix spiked with sultanas and chocolate bits. Further sensations include maple syrup, pine cone, butter cookie, clotted cream, and strawberry-flavored toffee. Aromatic zests and wet grasses give the yummy profile a fresh kick.
Finish: Lengthy, layered, and very much alive! The nettle smoke is most present at this stage. It mingles wonderfully with brittle, cereal, tobacco, lime, and white chocolate. Puffed rice and sweet woodruff are part of the mix, too. As are crumbled pistachios and crushed walnuts.

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Region: Denmark
Age: 5 years
Alc. volume: 57.3 per cent
Cask type: 1st Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel
# of bottles: 263
Bottle size: 0.7 litres
Price range: ~130.00 Euro
More info: https://farylochan.dk/ (Distillery) ; https://www.facebook.com/whiskydruid/ (Bottler) ; https://kirschwhisky.de/ (Importer)

*** I bought the bottle as a regular customer. ***