Lochlea Dark Briar Review

Lochlea Dark Briar review. This is another of the three core bottles from the Ayrshire farm distillery, bottled at 46%, for about £44. The name suggests brambles and hedgerow, and the whisky delivers a darker, richer, more brooding style than its siblings.

I like it. It is the one I would pour on a damp evening, with a coat on, and no intention of going anywhere.

What is Lochlea Dark Briar?

Lochlea is a farm distillery in Ayrshire, and the labels talk about farming and flavour. The Lochlea distillery page has the story and the full range.

Dark Briar is part of the core range, bottled at 46% with no age statement. The label is the place to check for the cask and batch details. The house style is light and fruit-forward by design, and this bottle takes the fruit to a darker, more berry-like place.

If the Lochlea Orchard and Oak is the sunny afternoon, this is the walk home in the dusk.

A briar is a bramble, and the name is a decent guide. This is a whisky for autumn, when the hedgerows are heavy with berries and the evenings have started to close in.

Blackberry, dark chocolate and spice

Blackberry, dark chocolate and warm spice, with a trace of woodsmoke somewhere behind the hedge.

Let it breathe for five minutes. It is quite tight at first, and the blackberry and the chocolate only open up as the glass warms in your hand.

The nose is rich and fruity, with blackberry, plum, dark chocolate and vanilla, then a little toffee, cinnamon and gentle oak. There is a dark, earthy note underneath. It smells cosy and dense.

The palate is medium to full-bodied and smooth. Dark berries and plum lead, with cocoa, caramel and baking spice, then a dry, tannic grip. At 46% it has a good weight, and a drop of water opens up the fruit.

The finish is medium to long, with dark fruit, cocoa and a warm spiciness. It fades slowly and leaves a pleasantly dry mouth.

How I would drink it

Neat, with a drop of water. It is a winter whisky and an after-dinner whisky, and it goes well with dark chocolate, a strong cheese or a plate of roast nuts. I would not use ice. Water and ice explains the reasoning.

It makes a decent Manhattan too, if you are feeling adventurous, and it suits a person who likes their whisky dark and fruity.

Give it a few minutes. The berries and the chocolate open slowly.

If you want to experiment, try a little in hot water with a slice of orange and a clove, which is a lovely winter drink and not a crime. It also makes a very good base for a rich Old Fashioned.

Is it worth £44?

About £44 for 70 cl at 46%. That is fair for a young, darker craft malt. GlenDronach 12 scores 82 at about £50 and is a richer sherried classic, and Glenfarclas 12 scores 80 at about £48.

The Lochlea Dark Briar scores 74 on my page. It is a pleasant, characterful whisky, and the two established rivals are clearly better. You are paying for the novelty and the small scale, and I think that is a reasonable thing to do on a bottle that costs less than a dinner.

If you like the darker style and want to try something new, buy it. If you want the best dark malt for the money, buy the GlenDronach.

It is also a good gift for someone who says they like sherried whisky and has not tried anything new in years. It is a different kind of dark, and it costs less than the famous names.

Dark, but not heavy

Dark whiskies can be a bit much. They can taste sweet and treacly and tiring after a glass, and a lot of sherried bottles lean in that direction. The Dark Briar is darker than its siblings and still light on its feet, which is a good trick.

It keeps the freshness of the house style under the berries and the chocolate, and that is what stops it from becoming heavy. I would like to see where the distillery takes this idea as the stocks get older.

Alternatives to Lochlea Dark Briar

If you like the idea of a young, characterful Lowland-style malt, these four are worth a look:

Lochlea Dark Briar review verdict

Lochlea Dark Briar is a darker, berry-led, gently spiced young malt at 46% and a fair price. It is cosy, characterful and light on its feet.

I would buy it for a damp evening and for the pleasure of trying something new, and I would buy the GlenDronach 12 first if value mattered. It is a good, honest bottle.

Caskable score: 74 out of 100.