Loch Lomond Whiskies has unveiled two limited Single Grain releases which exemplify the distiller’s innovative range of whisky-making techniques.
Loch Lomond Single Grain Distiller’s Choice and Loch Lomond Single Grain Cooper’s Collection Mizunara Cask Finish are brought together by Master Blender, Michael Henry.
Using only 100% malted barley with an additional long fermentation time then distilled in Loch Lomond’s bespoke all copper, Continuous ‘Coffey’ Still, it creates a spirit with layers of deep and elegant floral fruit notes, showcasing Loch Lomond’s capability in flavour creation through distillation.
Loch Lomond Single Grain Cooper’s Collection Mizunara Cask Finish is the first in a series of annual limited releases. Limited to just 3,000 bottles, the special edition is one of the rarest Single Grain whiskies to be released by Loch Lomond Whiskies.
Loch Lomond is one of only four distilleries in Scotland to have an on-site cooperage. This ensures that barrel repairs and charring are carried out to an exacting standard, so every cask is perfect for maturing Loch Lomond Whiskies’ characterful spirits.
Michael has worked closely with Loch Lomond Whiskies’ dedicated team of coopers to craft this release, carefully selecting higher age-statement whiskies to be matured in first and second fill American Oak Bourbon barrels. This special Single Grain is then finished for six months in the finest hand-crafted, rare Mizunara Japanese Oak casks, to elevate the natural flavours found within. The result is a whisky of wonderful character, enhanced with rich, fragrant spice derived from the Mizunara Oak casks.
Complementing this, Loch Lomond Single Grain Distiller’s Choice marries a careful selection of Loch Lomond Whiskies’ aged single grains with more vibrant liquids, resulting in a whisky with layers of elegant fruit and floral character. This exquisite Single Grain is matured in a selection of both first fill and second fill American Oak Bourbon barrels.
Both Single Grain whiskies are non-chill filtered and natural in colour, just as nature intended.
Each bespoke black grain bottle is embossed with the Loch Lomond Whiskies logo in striking silver and carries Michael’s signature as a personal guarantee of quality.
Loch Lomond Whiskies Master Blender, Michael Henry said:
“We’re proud to introduce the latest additions to our Single Grain portfolio. Crafted using our innovative Coffey still, these are two very special whiskies with distinct and diverse flavours.
“Each expression has been crafted to showcase the floral fruit notes through distilling and influence finishing has on our grain whisky through cask selection.”
Loch Lomond Whiskies is truly unique in its craftsmanship, using innovative techniques to explore flavour in a distinctive way. As the only distillery in Scotland to use its bespoke design of continuous Coffey Still, Loch Lomond Distillery has a whisky-making capability like no other.
This continuous still provides Loch Lomond Whiskies with greater control over the distillation process by allowing spirit to be taken off at different plates and at specific strengths, shaping the flavour profile and character of the whisky at the point of distillation.
Loch Lomond Distillery can trace its distilling heritage back to 1814. Its current malt and grain distilleries, in Alexandria, Dunbartonshire, close to the banks of Loch Lomond, were commissioned in 1964 with first distillation in 1966.
Product specific detail
Loch Lomond Single Grain Distiller’s Choice
The nose of Loch Lomond Single Grain Distiller’s Choice carries deep floral and fruit notes of rose, violet, peach, pear and blackcurrant with vanilla and coconut, some honey and
chocolate. The silk like mouthfeel glides over the tongue, bringing tart fruits of blackberry and green apple with golden barley before a long finish of vanilla fudge sweetness and
gently warming cinnamon spice.
It is bottled at 48.8% ABV and has a RRSP of £50.
Loch Lomond Single Grain Cooper’s Collection Mizunara Cask
Loch Lomond Single Grain Cooper’s Collection Mizunara Cask combines rose, honeysuckle,
blackcurrant and toasted oak on the nose. On the palate there is sweet spice character with apple, sandalwood, honey and cinnamon, with a dry, warming oak spice finish.
It is bottled at 50% ABV and has a RRSP of £60.
Both releases are available globally.
For further information visit www.lochlomondwhiskies.com
Award-winning, independent Scotch whisky distiller Loch Lomond Whiskies has agreed an exciting new partnership with The European Tour, becoming the first Official Partner of the innovative new UK Swing.
The partnership with the European Tour means that the distiller’s innovative and exciting range of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies will become “The Spirit of the Tour” throughout the duration of the UK Swing. Loch Lomond Whiskies have been “The Spirit of The Open” since 2018.
As part of the new relationship, Loch Lomond Whiskies’ hand sanitiser will be available on every tee during each of the six UK tournaments when the European Tour returns to action in July.
Loch Lomond Group were one of the first spirits companies in the world to utilise their existing resources and infrastructure to make hand sanitiser, so as to help and support those in need across the country throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. As the European Tour resumes, Loch Lomond Whiskies will help ensure good hygiene at all six UK tournaments as part of the European Tour’s comprehensive Health Strategy.
As an Official Partner of the European Tour’s UK Swing, Loch Lomond Whiskies will also support the launch of the new ‘Golf for Good’ initiative which will underpin all European Tour events in 2020 by making a positive impact in the communities where the European Tour plays – and the wider world of golf – rewarding heroes of the pandemic such as front line workers, and promoting the many health benefits that golf offers to everyone.
Colin Matthews, CEO of Loch Lomond Group, said: “The European Tour is one of the most internationally recognised and respected golf bodies in the world and we are delighted to become a key partner of the UK Swing. This new association further extends our already very successful association with the game of golf through our existing sponsorship agreement with The R&A for both The Open and The Women’s British Open and The PGA and allows us to support the launch of the European Tour’s excellent “Golf for Good” initiative.”
Max Hamilton, the European Tour’s Head of Commercial Partnerships, said: “We are delighted to welcome Loch Lomond Whiskies and their award-winning brands as the first Official Partner of our new UK Swing. This innovative stretch of six events marks the start of our new Golf for Good initiative, enabling us to give back during these unprecedented times. Our health strategy is vital to this and Loch Lomond Whiskies will also contribute to that through the provision of hand sanitiser. This is a great example of how brands can work together in different ways at the moment.”
Following the suspension of the season due to the global Coronavirus pandemic, the European Tour will return to action initially behind closed doors in July with two events in Austria – the Austrian Open and Euram Bank Open – immediately followed by the UK Swing. The first tournament in the UK Swing is the Betfred British Masters hosted by Lee Westwood, which will be played at Close House, from Wednesday July 22nd to Saturday July 25th.
It will be followed by the English Open at the Marriott Forest of Arden and the English Championship at Marriott Hanbury Manor, before The Celtic Manor Resort in Newport hosts back-to-back European Tour tournaments. The UK Swing will then conclude with the UK Championships at The Belfry.
All tournaments will be subject to stringent safety and testing protocols set out by the Tour’s comprehensive Healthy Strategy which will continue to evolve, aligned with international Government guidance and health guidelines.
Founded in 1814, Loch Lomond Whiskies can trace its roots back to the Littlemill distillery, which was established in 1772 and is thought to be one of the oldest in the world. Its current malt and grain distilleries, in Alexandria, Dunbartonshire on the banks of Loch Lomond, were built in the 1960s and are among only a few in the industry to maintain an onsite cooperage. The malt distillery at Alexandria also features a unique combination of traditional swan neck and distinctive straight-necked pot stills, enabling it to produce a diverse range of flavour profiles.
In 2018, the group secured its first major golf partnership, agreeing a prestigious five-year deal with the R&A, as sponsor of both The Open and AIG Women’s British Open. In February 2020, Loch Lomond Whiskies also concluded a new agreement with the Professional Golfers’ Association (The PGA) to become a ‘PGA Partner’ and the title sponsor of the Scottish PGA Championship.
For further information, visit Loch Lomond Whiskies on Twitter: @LochLomondMalts, Instagram @lochlomondmalts and search for Loch Lomond Whiskies on Facebook. To find out more about Loch Lomond Group please visit www.lochlomondgroup.com.
Loch Lomond Whiskies, The Official Spirit of The Open, Women’s British Open and Ladies Scottish Open, has released a very special limited edition single malt Scotch crafted in partnership with US women’s golf icon, Cristie Kerr.
Kerr, who won the 2007 U.S Women’s Open and the 2010 Women’s PGA Championship, became Loch Lomond Group’s first female golf ambassador last year. She now owns and operates Kerr Cellars in Napa Valley, USA, and is a qualified sommelier. This is the winery’s first partnership in spirits.
The Loch Lomond Single Malt Vintage 2002 was finished in French oak barrels which previously held Pinot Noir red wine from the Kerr Cellars winery.
The 2002 spirit was selected to celebrate Cristie’s first win on the LPGA tour and spent six months maturing in the Pinot Noir barrels, which were shipped to the Loch Lomond Distillery in Alexandria, near Loch Lomond, in October 2018.
The barrels are composed of Vosges Oak from the Alsace mountains in Eastern France. They were seasoned for three years prior to being delivered to the Loch Lomond cooperage and used for six months to mature the 2002 spirit carefully selected by Loch Lomond Master Blender Michael Henry to form the release.
The Pinot Noir finish has amplified the fruit characteristics associated with the Loch Lomond Distillery to create a truly special single malt Scotch.
Colin Matthews, CEO, said: “It is extremely exciting to be offering this truly unique limited edition release created in partnership with our ambassador, women’s golfing star Cristie Kerr. Since Cristie launched Kerr Cellars she has applied the same rigour and pursuit of excellence she displayed in golf to producing some of the world’s best wines.
“Our Loch Lomond Single Malt Vintage 2002 captures the best of both worlds, wine and whisky, to offer a very special Scotch which will be sought after by golf fans and those who know their drinks alike.”
The Loch Lomond Single Malt Vintage 2002 has an ABV of 48.14%. It is presented in elegant navy-blue packaging which incorporates a discreet rendition of Kerr Cellars’ distinctive logo and also bears Cristie’s signature, creating a must-have item for followers of both golf and whisky.
Since turning professional in 1996, Kerr has recorded 20 wins on the LPGA Tour in addition to her two Majors. She was also World No. 1 on three separate occasions throughout 2010.
Kerr said: “I’ve long admired Scotch whisky and it is a great privilege to be working with such an acclaimed distillery to create my first single malt. The French Oak Pinot Noir casks we shipped to Loch Lomond Whiskies’ cooperage previously held some of our most highly rated red wine and I can’t wait for golfers and whisky fans to discover the superb single malt Scotch that they have helped produce.”
For further information visit Loch Lomond Whiskies on Twitter: @LochLomondMalts, Instagram: @lochlomondmalts Facebook: Loch Lomond Whiskies and at www.lochlomondwhiskies.com.
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