Lochlea debuts cask strength whisky
Lowland distillery Lochlea has unveiled its first cask strength single malt as part of a new annual range.
Based on Lochlea Farm in Ayrshire, Lochlea Distillery has created Cask Strength Batch 1, bottled straight from the cask at 60.1% ABV. The liquid was aged in first-fill ex-Bourbon and oloroso Sherry casks that are said to work particularly well at higher strength, ‘amplifying’ the fruit, nut and cereal flavours of Lochlea’s house style. The resulting whisky offers a concentrated fruit punch note leading to soft cigar notes and aromatic coffee beans. It then develops to signature Lochlea fruit, Brazil nuts and a finish of orange syrup mixed with aged oak shavings. John Campbell, master blender, said: “Here at Lochlea we are passionate about the quality and traceability of our whiskies and this is reflected in every stage of our whisky-making process. “From our own barley fields surrounding the distillery and our traditional wooden washbacks, to our sourcing of the finest casks available and racked warehouse storage, there are absolutely no compromises on our quality. “Our new Cask Strength whisky enables this quality to shine through in every dram, showing an amplified version of our signature Lochlea style for those whisky lovers looking for an extra special something: a bold, yet elegant spirit made with a contemporary approach alongside respected traditions.” In July, grain-to-glass distillery Lochlea revealed its flagship single malt whisky, matured in three different cask types, called Our Barley. David Ferguson, commercial director, added: “It’s been a quick 18 months for us since the launch of our first whisky. The recent award wins for our core expression, Lochlea Our Barley, have been milestones for the distillery, and we’re now following these up with our first ever cask strength release. "Lochlea Cask Strength Batch 1 brings the Lochlea flavours that our customers have grown to love, but amps them all up a level. I look forward to allocating these bottles across our valued UK on- and off-trade partners, and our importers across 20 markets in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific.” Cask Strength Batch 1 is available to buy from Wednesday 31 May from selected specialist whisky retailers. It is priced at RRP £65 (US$81). The family-owned distillery has also released limited edition seasonal whiskies using its own barley. The ‘first crop’ of seasonal releases were: Sowing, Harvest, Fallow and Ploughing Editions. In 2023, the ‘second crop’ of limited edition whiskies will be released every season, each highlighting the progression of Lochlea’s single malts.