Lochlea Smoke Without Fire review. This is the third of the three core Lochlea bottles, bottled at 46% and about £44, and it is the one with the smoky name. The title is a play on the saying, and the whisky inside is a gentle, coastal-feeling smoke that does not try to compete with Islay.
It is the least typical of the three Lochlea bottles, and it is the one that most clearly tries something different.
Lochlea is a farm distillery in Ayrshire, and the labels talk about farming and flavour. The Lochlea distillery page has the story and the range.
Smoke Without Fire is part of the core range, bottled at 46% with no age statement. The name suggests the smokier end of the line-up, and the label is the place to check the peating level and the cask details, as I would not want to put numbers on it from memory.
The house style is light and fruit-forward by design, and the smoke sits on top of that rather than replacing it. That makes it a gentler peated malt than most.
The name is a joke on the saying, and I am glad someone at the distillery has a sense of humour. It is rare enough in whisky that it deserves to be noticed.
Gentle smoke, ripe pear and a squeeze of lemon, like a bonfire seen from a long way off.
Be patient with the first sip. The smoke arrives first and the fruit follows, and it takes a minute or two for the balance to settle.
The nose is fruity and lightly smoky, with pear, apple, lemon zest and vanilla, then a drift of woodsmoke and a hint of barley sweetness. There is a faint coastal note. It smells subtle and rather elegant.
The palate is medium-bodied and a little oily. Smoke and fruit share the lead, with pear, honey and vanilla, then a touch of pepper and a dry, ashy edge. At 46% it has a decent texture, and a drop of water lets the fruit through.
The finish is medium, with smoke, lemon and a gentle sweetness. The smoke lingers politely and leaves a clean mouth.
Neat, with a drop of water. It is a very good bottle for a person who wants to try peated whisky without being knocked over, and it works well in a smoky highball with soda and a twist of lemon. I would not use ice in a neat glass. Water and ice explains the reasoning.
It goes well with smoked fish, grilled prawns or a mild blue cheese.
Give it a few minutes. The smoke is quite forward at first, and the fruit follows.
For a simple experiment, taste it next to the Our Barley and the Orchard and Oak. The same house style, with and without smoke, and it is an inexpensive way of seeing what peat really adds.
About £44 for 70 cl at 46%. That is fair for a gentle peated malt. Ardbeg 10 scores 72 at about £45 and is the big, classic peated alternative, and BenRiach The Smoky Ten scores 76 at about £45 with a similar light-smoke style.
The Lochlea Smoke Without Fire scores 73 on my page. It is a gentle, likeable whisky, and the BenRiach beats it slightly. If you want the lightest touch of smoke and the novelty of a young farm distillery, it is worth the money. If you want the best light-smoke malt, buy the BenRiach first.
The price is also fair against the Lagg and other young peated names, which often cost more for less balance.
Peat comes in many styles, and the heavy hitters get most of the attention. A light, fruity, smoky malt is a different pleasure: you get the campfire and the fruit in the same sip, and neither one wins.
This is a good bottle for exploring that middle ground. It will not convert anyone who hates smoke, and it will not satisfy someone who wants a bonfire in a bottle. For everybody else, it is a pleasant surprise.
If you like the idea of a young, characterful Lowland-style malt, these four are worth a look:
About £45 and a fruity, gently peated Speyside.
About £45 and the benchmark big peated malt.
About £49 and a lively heavily peated Arran malt.
About £42 and fresh, grassy and fruity.
Lochlea Smoke Without Fire is a gentle, fruity, lightly smoky young malt at 46% and a fair price. It is subtle, likeable and a good introduction to peat.
I would buy it for a person who wants a light smoky dram, and I would buy the BenRiach Smoky Ten first if I wanted the best of the style. It is an interesting, honest bottle.
Caskable score: 73 out of 100.
Pear, apple and lemon zest with vanilla, woodsmoke and barley sweetness.
Smoke and fruit with pear, honey and vanilla, then a touch of pepper and a dry ashy edge.
Medium, with smoke, lemon and a gentle sweetness.
Gentle, fruity and lightly smoky.
Thomas Grønvold is the founder of Caskable and a whisky enthusiast who believes the best way to learn about whisky is simply to drink it, compare it, and stay curious. From supermarket favourites to bottles from distilleries around the world, he writes about what he actually tastes and experiences, without pretending you need to be an expert to enjoy a good dram.
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