Murray McDavid
The Art of Maturation
Whisky Tasting Event
25th May 2024 7pm

Masters of the cask finish, their releases are both innovative and tasty. Spearheaded by their Master of Creation, Dean Jode, the warehouses at Coleburn are chock-full of fantastic liquid from just about every distillery in the country. We are delighted to welcome Kevin, Brand Ambassador for Murray McDavid to the Inverurie Whisky Shop to guide us through some wonderful expressions from their range.

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The Arran Distilleries
Tasting Event
10th May 2024
7pm

Discover the new and the old from the Isle of Arran as we bring together expressions from both distilleries in this exciting tasting event. Lochranza and Lagg Distilleries are owned by Isle of Arran Disitllers and we are very pleased that Mariella Romano will be joining us in her role as Brand Ambassador to showcase some excellent whisky, including some great limited editions.

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Loch Lomond Whiskies introduces two new single malt whiskies to celebrate The Open

Dual release marks golf’s most prestigious tournament at Royal Troon this July

Loch Lomond Whiskies, the official Spirit of The Open, has unveiled two limited-edition single malt whiskies to mark The 152^nd Open at Royal Troon this summer.

The Open Special Edition 2024 (RRP £45; 46% ABV) and The Open Course Collection 2024 (RRP £290; 47.1% ABV) have been released to commemorate the prestigious golf tournament, and will pay tribute to the people, players and courses throughout the history of The Open.

The Open Special Edition 2024 has been crafted by Loch Lomond Group’s Master Blender, Michael Henry, in collaboration with Loch Lomond Whiskies ambassador Colin Montgomerie.

The exquisite single malt explores the influence of aromatic French Chardonnay casks on the Loch Lomond signature style. Matured in American Oak casks, to create the fruit, honey and soft smoke style only found in Loch Lomond single malt whisky, it is then finished in the finest hand-selected Chardonnay wine casks, creating additional depth of aromatic and luscious flavour.

These exceptional Chardonnay Wine casks play an integral role in crafting a subtle whisky with notes of honey blossom, vibrant orchard fruit and toasted oak that perfectly complement the soft smoke on the finish.

Each pack carries Colin Montgomerie’s signature and is presented in a striking deep blue premium display case. It is also available in a gift pack with two dual-branded Loch Lomond Whiskies and The Open glasses, retailing for £50.

The Open Course Collection celebrates every Open championship over the past three centuries, from the first tournament at Prestwick in 1860 to the present day.

Distilled in 2000, it has been matured in American Oak casks for 23 years before a six-month finish in the finest Manzanilla sherry casks from Jerez. The result is a single malt which is natural in colour and perfectly encapsulates Loch Lomond Whiskies’ signature style alongside notes of baked apple, nutmeg, lime and cinnamon and hints of marzipan and toasted oak. This rare 24-year-old single malt is limited to only 4,500 bottles worldwide.

Both whiskies have been crafted in a combination of Loch Lomond Distillery’s unique Straight-Neck pot stills and traditional Swan Neck stills. Each expression is non-chill filtered to be enjoyed as nature intended.

The Open is the oldest golf tournament in the world and the sport’s original championship, which brings together professional players from across the globe to compete for the coveted Claret Jug.

Returning to Scotland this year, The 152^nd Open will be held from 14-21 July 2024 at Royal Troon in Ayrshire. Founded in 1878, Royal Troon is renowned as one of the world’s greatest links courses, and last hosted The Open in 2016.

Michael Henry, Loch Lomond Whiskies Master Blender, said:

“Our 2024 golf editions showcase the complex flavours we can create at Loch Lomond Whiskies, and are prime examples of our distilling capabilities. Our Straight-Neck pot stills are essential to our whisky-making approach and allow the character of the whisky to be shaped at the point of distillation.

“It has been a privilege to continue our work with Colin Montgomerie ahead of his return to his home course at Royal Troon this summer, and we’re proud to see the product of our collaboration reach the shelves.”

Colin Montgomerie, professional golfer and Loch Lomond Whiskies ambassador, said:

“I’m proud to see The Open return to Royal Troon this year. It’s a course which will always hold great personal memories for me.

“Golf and whisky making are both intricate pursuits, so I feel a natural synergy with the craft and passion of the team at Loch Lomond Whiskies. I’m looking forward to continuing my partnership with the distillery this summer as an official ambassador.”

Both expressions are available to purchase from Loch Lomond Whiskies online store from specialist whisky retailers, and from Loch Lomond Whiskies’ stand at The 152^nd Open at Royal Troon from 14-21 July 2024.

To find out more about Loch Lomond Whiskies, visit www.lochlomondwhiskies.com.

Tasting notes

Loch Lomond The Open Course Collection 2024

• Nose: Honey, vanilla fudge, pineapple, candied citrus peel.
• Taste: Salted caramel, baked apple, lime, nutmeg and cinnamon.
• Finish: Long with marzipan and soft smoke.

Loch Lomond The Open Special Edition

• Nose: Lemon citrus, green apple, pear, vanilla.
• Taste: Vibrant orchard fruit, fresh peach and pear, blossom honey and toasted oak.
• Finish: Medium length with cinnamon spice and soft smoke. 

About Loch Lomond Whiskies

Loch Lomond Whiskies is an award-winning, independent Scotch whisky distiller which has been producing the finest single malt whiskies since 1814.  As a Highland malt, it is part of the largest and most diverse whisky-making region in Scotland.

The original site of the Loch Lomond Distillery was established near Tarbert, towards the northwest end of Loch Lomond. In the 1960s, under the leadership of American entrepreneur and chemist, Duncan Scott (who was instrumental in the ongoing success of Scotland’s oldest licensed distillery, Littlemill), a new site was created in Alexandria, which began a move to a more innovative philosophy and style of whisky-making that is still used today.

Located only a few miles from the famous loch, the distillery has a whisky-making capability like no other, using a combination of traditional swan-neck and its signature straight-neck-stills, which are unique to Loch Lomond Whiskies.

The straight-neck stills give Master Blender Michael Henry greater control over the distillation process, allowing him to carefully manipulate the flavour profile of each whisky, and providing a signature fruit, honey and soft smoke flavour profile.

Loch Lomond Whiskies is one of only four distillers in Scotland to have its own onsite cooperage, ensuring that barrel repairs and charring are carried out to an exacting standard, so every cask is perfect for maturing whisky.

The distillery’s multi-award-winning range includes Loch Lomond Original; Loch Lomond 12 Year Old; Loch Lomond 12 Year Old; Loch Lomond Inchmoan 12 Year Old; Loch Lomond Inchmurrin 12 Year Old; Loch Lomond 18 Year Old; Loch Lomond 21 Year Old and Loch Lomond 30 Year Old, as well as Loch Lomond Single Grain (peated and unpeated) and the deluxe blend Loch Lomond Signature.

In 2023, it was recognised as the ‘Most Awarded Distillery’ at the globally renowned San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2023, achieving multiple Double Gold and Gold Awards for its collection of malt whisky brands.

Last year, Loch Lomond 18 Year Old was revealed as The Whisky Exchange’s coveted ‘Whisky of the Year 2024’, achieving superior scores from the judging panel for its full-bodied and fruity character.

Morrison Distillers
Tasting Event
Thursday 2nd May 2024
6pm

Kick off your Spirit of Speyside weekend with this great line up of fascinating whiskies. Morrison Distillers have one of the most fascinating histories in the world of whisky, going back over 60 years. Join in the journey with their range of single malts in the Carn Mor range, as well as a focus on what makes Old Perth one of the most sought after ranges of blended whisky on the market.

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New Diploma Date at the Port of Leith Distillery

We’re hoping the Chief puts sunshine on Leith this July as we’ve scheduled another Diploma in Single Malt Whisky (Thursday 11 & Friday 12 July) at the Port of Leith Distillery. An architectural triumph, the vertical distillery is a fitting venue in which to earn the SQA-certified whisky diploma – our highest award – with teacher Vic Cameron in a classroom boasting superb panoramic views.📖

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Sullivans Cove has won four Icons of Whisky at the 2024 World Whiskies Awards in London.

CELEBRATING OUR PEOPLE

Congratulations to Heather Tillott and Ally Bhana for their outstanding achievements at this year’s Icons of Whisky Awards.

This remarkable success illustrates the passion and excellence they bring to their roles every day.

HEATHER TILLOTT | GLOBAL DISTILLERY MANAGER OF THE YEAR

ALLY BHANA | GLOBAL BRAND AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR

SECOND-FILL MATURATION

Our dedication to second-fill cask maturation has now been acknowledged on the world stage.

As pioneers of this style in Australia, we have a profound appreciation for the way second-fill casks allow our spirit to shine. This award validates our commitment to refining and perfecting this approach.

SULLIVANS COVE | GLOBAL BRAND INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR

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Vic Cameron, one of our whisky lecturers says: “A valinch is a copper tube that we use to take samples out of the cask. We remove the bung and then use the valinch to get the samples that we can then nose or taste to check if the whisky is OK.”

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Meet the Maker: Loch Lomond’s Michael Henry

One of the most innovative and exciting distilleries of the moment, Loch Lomond is our Whisky of the Year. ⁠ Chosen in a blind tasting, this is a distillery that is on a roll experimenting with their stills, their ferments and their cooperage.

We still have tickets to our Meet the Maker masterclass this Wednesday where Michael Henry will be leading a tasting through the range and sharing some particularly special drams.

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Michel Henry

Michael grew up around the Bushmills distillery in Northern Ireland, where whiskey and distilling was at the heart of the community working there through his university days. However, his career took a turn into the world of brewing where he learned how to build up flavour. This has proved exceptionally useful in his distilling career where Micheal has pushed for longer and fruiter ferments.

Whisky of the Year

Loch Lomond 18 Year Old was chosen in a blind tasting as our Whisky of the Year. It was a particularly competitive tasting but Loch Lomond’s balance and its complexity won out. Thanks to the many variables that Loch Lomond can draw on, this is a dram that has plenty of fruit, a robust body, sweet patisserie notes, and an enticing whisper of smoke.

Casks and Coopers

One of the things that has helped the distillery raise its game is the in house cooperage. Control over their casks, the ability to adjust toast and char, size and otherwise fine turn a cask mean that Loch Lomond have been able to really push their whisky’s quality. ⁠

Down the Rabbit Hole

By using different grains, barley, malted and unmalted, peated to different levels or not at all, and then using different yeasts and lengths of fermentation, the distillery is able to start the whisky-making process off with a dazzling array of options. Then factor in the three types of still that Loch Lomond has at their disposal, traditional pot stills, straight neck stills and column stills, and you have even more options. Then add to that the possibilities of casks and you have gone fully down the whisky rabbit hole.

The Lost Distillery Company Tasting Event
27th April 2024 7pm

Discover the distilleries of the past with 6 samples, of great and unique expressions brought together by The Lost Distillery Company. The Lost Distillery Company delves into the archives of Scotland’s distilling history, finding tasting notes, recipes and reviews of names long lost to time. They then recreate the flavours through blending, recreating the essence of these forgotten distilleries.

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