Nose: We took the kids for breakfast yesterday to Lava y Salt, a new bakery that makes epic light scones. Instead of whipped cream, she paired them with a bowl of mascarpone frosting. Both sweet and yet slightly funky. A tiny dash of sea salt. More body than cream and a definite step up for me. Kids were nonplussed. My daughter ordered golden milk, a daring adventure into the unknown, which turned out pretty delish and not at all what we expected. Ginger and cinnamon, honey, a dash of coconut and a fair bit of turmeric. More earthy than spiced chai. Thankfully this wasn’t as hippy as it sounds, so no incense, but that would basically cap this nose off perfectly.

Palate: Incredibly salty, which works for me given my heavy hand in the kitchen and years as a surfer, but you have to be into that and it’s a lot. Coriander and cardamom. Lime leaf and green plantains. The bitterness of green bell pepper. And a medicinal peat vibe, which feels unusual as I typically think of Lochindaal closer to the bbq smoke than classic Islay style of other brands. A palate of the sea and the soil.

Rating: 6 / 10 – I think what I love most about Lochindaal is how consistent they are. If you like one, you will like them all. It makes reviewing them a touch dull at times, but given how much joy they bring, screw it, it’s a delight! Drink it and have a nice day. But, given its my prerogative to be a touch picky, this isn’t hitting quite all the right notes for me at the moment. I find myself focused on the unusual bitterness. One of my last favorites bottles to date, which isn’t saying much as you can see from the score and is still excellent. Splitting hairs.