Loch Lomond has released a 54-year old single malt whiskey which is the brand’s oldest one yet and also one of the rarest. Just 55 bottles of this limited edition have been produced. Originally matured in a refill American oak hogshead before being re-casked into a refill European oak sherry hogshead in 1994. Gentle maturation over 54 years has created a whisky of refined richness and exceptional character.
Loch Lomond 54-year old whisky was distilled in 1967, just one year after the distillery’s iconic straight neck stills began production in 1966. The whisky has been expertly crafted from unpeated malted barley and collected at high strength. It is bottled at 42.1% ABV, non chill-filtered and natural in color just as nature intended.
The nose of Loch Lomond whiskey can be described as elegant and sublime. It smells like crème caramel, fresh vanilla pods, melted brown sugar and toasted oak, orange peel and marmalade. The taste? It is a mixture of vibrant fruit, tart pineapple and lemon citrus with a honey sweetness, dried fruits, sultanas and raisins. The finish is best described as long with mouth-watering green fruit, floral notes and kiwi, then waves of warming oak spice, aniseed and cinnamon.
The first site of the former Loch Lomond Distillery dates back to 1814, sited at the north end of Loch Lomond near Tarbet (known as Tarbat). Sadly, in the old days relatively few paper records were kept and the closing date of this Distillery remains unclear. The current Loch Lomond Distillery was founded in 1965 by the former owners of the Littlemill Distillery, in Bowling, a few miles up the road towards Glasgow. In 1984, the distillery closed – or fell silent, to use the traditional term. Fortunately, Alexander Bulloch and the Glen Catrine company acquired the business and resumed malt production in 1987. Grain whisky production began in 1993 and two new malt stills were added in 1999.
Images courtesy of Loch Lomond
