12 years

Royal Lochnagar owes its name to a royal visit. Three years after John Begg founded the distillery in 1845 as New Lochnagar, Queen Victoria settled into nearby Balmoral Castle and visited the works. The royal warrant followed, and the name changed to Royal Lochnagar. This was no mere marketing ploy — Begg was confident enough to put his own name on the bottle: "Take a peg of John Begg."

The 12-year-old has been part of the Classic Malts Selection since 2005. Royal Lochnagar uses very lightly peated malt (just 1–2 ppm) from Roseisle maltings near Elgin, lending a subtle smoky undertone without dominance.

In the glass, a balanced whisky unfolds: toffee and honey on the nose, followed by fresh fruit and spice on the palate. The finish is soft and buttery, with a warming oak spice that lingers pleasantly without overwhelming.