Whisky Lovers Rejoice! A multi-award winning (and rated 93 by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible), Highlands, Single Grain Scotch Whisky for a price that is going to make you share a dram with all of your friends. Welcome to the Australian premier of the Loch Lomond Single Grain Scotch Whisky!
Ok, let’s get it straight out of the way, on the table and up front and centre right off the bat – this month we’re not featuring a Single Malt Whisky (gasp, shock, horror)…but this is a 100% malted barley, single grain whisky from Loch Lomond…made from exactly the same ingredients as their single malt whisky, fermented in exactly the same way as their single malt whisky and aged exactly the same way as their single malt whisky and matured in the finest American oak casks.
So what’s the difference? Well, in this case – the only difference is the type of still used to distil the whisky (hold on we explain below).
We’ve chosen this as it’s a truly fantastic whisky and has been recognised as such multiple times. Released in 2016, it won Gold at the World Whisky Awards in 2017 for ‘Best Scotch Grain’ as well as Gold in Berlin Spirits Awards of the same year. More recently, it’s just picked up a Double-Gold medal at the San Francisco Spirits Awards earlier this year and it’s rated at a sterling 93 in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.
Single Malt Whisky, by definition, is distilled in copper pot stills. These are a ‘batch at a time’ as the fermented wash is transferred to the still, it is closed and run – then stopped and emptied, then filled with the next batch etc etc. Essentially a big pot that is filled, boiled, then emptied.
The Loch Lomond Single Grain Whisky is distilled in a ‘Coffey’ still, which can run essentially continuously. As long as you keep adding ‘beer’ it will continue to separate the alcohol and the waste. These are ‘industrial’ stills and due to their continuous run process are used to make huge quantities of alcohol – and usually at a higher ABV than a pot still does and they are usually run with a fermentation of cheaper grains that malted barley. But not in this case!
The definition of Single Grain Whisky allows for any type of grain or blend of grains to be used. In this case, 100% malted barley is used. Once again, the single difference between this whisky and Loch Lomond single malt whisky – is the still it is distilled in. And this Coffey still’s continuous production capability is what makes this whisky relatively inexpensive to produce – hence the fantastic price of this amazing whisky.
We’re proud to offer the multi-award winning Loch Lomond Single Grain Scotch Whisky for the very first time in Australia. Once again, our members get ‘first dibs’ on a new whisky to hit our shores. We know you’re going to love this whisky for much, much more than the relative lack of damage it will do to your wallet!
OUR TASTING NOTES
Colour: Rather pale straw
Nose: Sweet Pineapple juice, citrus zest and
Palate: Warm spice, lots more of those pineapple notes, some ginger, malt biscuits and vanilla.
Finish: A sweet, light and fruity finish with some spice to keep the palate warm.
This is a light, smooth and fruity – easy sipper that ‘s both an easy entry for newbies… and offers enough complexity to satisfy the most experienced whisky waffler!
FROM THE DISTILLERY
Our distilling heritage at Loch Lomond dates back to the very start of Scotch production. In 1993, our grain whisky production began and at that time, our distillery was the only one in Scotland producing both grain and malt whisky on the same site.
We now produce 2 expressions of our Single Grain Scotch Whisky, peated and unpeated. Distilled in our continuous still using exclusively malted barley, results in a smooth and sweet spirit with an added complexity not usually found in a single grain whisky.
Nose: Fresh cut barley fields with a malty edge, biscuity with baked apples alongside gentle lemon peel.
Taste: Crisp and delicate. Pineapple juice and a lemon zestiness with a lovely vanilla sweetness at the end.
Finish: Gentle with soft fruits alongside a juicy sweetness.
ABOUT THE DISTILLERY
Interestingly, the original Loch Lomond distillery was located in Arrochar but that was founded in 1814 and only lasted 3 years. The present Loch Lomond Distillery is located in Alexandria and is a relatively young one being founded in 1964. The two distilleries share nothing except the name.
Today’s Loch Lomond distillery began production in 1965 and ran until 1984 when it was mothballed. Re-opening in 1987, it was expanded in 1993 by the installation of 2 new malt stills and a grain distillery. It was the first distillery in Scotland to produce both grain and malt is one of only two today that do so (Girvan Distillery being the other). It remains the only distillery in Scotland to run 3 sets of stills. This gives the distillery the flexibility to produce nearly any type of spirit – and this is seen in their incredible product range.
Loch Lomond is one of the few distilleries to incorporate a cooperage in the distillery. Casks are made, repaired and fired in-house. This gives Loch Lomond distillery complete control of all facets of distilling – from milling the malted barley right through to the wood it is aged in.
One more piece of Loch Lomond trivia – it is the favourite whisky of Captain Haddock from the Tintin books. I knew I’d heard the name long before in my distant childhood. Sadly though – it cannot be the same Loch Lomond [as we will be tasting] as the Tintin books were written well before the current Loch Lomond Distillery was built. BLUE BLISTERING BARNACLES!
