On what is World Whisky Day, we take a look at one distiller who has created an exclusive offering worth almost £3,500.
Award-winning independent distiller Loch Lomond Whiskies has unveiled its newest aged single malt, a 45 year old Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Distilled in 1973, the super-premium Loch Lomond 45 year old has matured in American oak casks, before finishing for one year in a first-fill oloroso sherry cask to add a distinct sweet flavour.
The liquid is presented in a Loch Lomond premium bottle, complete with a debossed copper plaque, and enclosed in a beautifully crafted oak wood box designed to mirror the design of the Loch Lomond straight neck pot stills. Only 200 individually numbered bottles have been released, making it one of Loch Lomond Whiskies’ rarest expressions to date.
The launch of the Loch Lomond 45 year old is the first in the distillery’s new Remarkable Stills series, a collection that will shine a spotlight on the Alexandria-based distillery’s innovative straight neck pot stills. The stills, which are unique to Loch Lomond, gives the distiller more control of the type of spirit produced, allowing for greater separation of flavours, helping to create the distinct fruity characters that Loch Lomond has become famous for.
The Loch Lomond 45 year old showcases flavours of red apple, pear, tropical fruits and honey. On the nose, the expression presents floral scents, before offering notes of orange blossom and melted brown sugar. The finish is long, and presents waves of warming cinnamon spice and tart green fruits. Bottled at 42.2% and non-chill filtered, allowing the signature Loch Lomond flavours to come through, the Loch Lomond 45 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky is priced at £3,450.
To mark the launch of the rare expression, a new webpage has been created which details exactly how the liquid was created, over more than four decades. The webpage details the characteristics of Loch Lomond’s unique pot stills, a key element to the creation of Loch Lomond 45 year old.
Master blender, Michael Henry said: “Our straight neck pot stills connect us to the spirit of innovation that was built into our distillery from the beginning, and places flavour at the centre of what we do. It is only fitting that we mark their significance to us through the Remarkable Stills Series.
“It has been a pleasure working on the creation of the Loch Lomond 45 year old, our first release of the series. It is a truly beautiful expression and captures the essence of the Loch Lomond Whiskies spirit perfectly.
“After 45 years aging in American oak and oloroso sherry casks, the whisky retains the character of the distillery, and showcases Loch Lomond Whiskies signature fruity flavour beautifully. The flavours of the expression are wonderfully unique, and we hope whisky lovers will enjoy it.”
The launch of the 45 Year Old follows a branding refresh and extension of the Loch Lomond Whiskies portfolio which took place earlier this year. This included the introduction of a 21 and 30 year old to the range.
John Grieveson, chief marketing officer at Loch Lomond Group, said: “The Loch Lomond 45 year old is an exquisite single malt and we are very proud to launch it to market. A wealth of experience and craftsmanship goes into each of our expressions, and the Loch Lomond 45 year old is no exception. It’s a fantastic edition to our range of single malts and as the first expression in our Remarkable Stills Series, we’re very excited about its launch.”
Founded in 1814, the Loch Lomond distillery can trace its roots back to the Littlemill distillery, which was established in 1772 and is the oldest licensed distillery in the world. Its current distillery, in Alexandria, Dunbartonshire, close to the banks of Loch Lomond, was built in 1965 with first distillation in 1966.
When it opened, Loch Lomond distillery’s ground-breaking straight necked pot stills were a revelation, enabling production of a lighter, fruitier spirit and greater control over the whisky’s character. Under the later ownership of the Bulloch family further distilling innovation took place with the aim of being self-sufficient. It is among only four distilleries in the Scotch whisky industry to maintain an onsite cooperage which maintains and repairs up to 10,000 casks annually.
For more information on Loch Lomond 45 year old, visit lochlomondwhiskies.com
