Lochlea Distillery appoints award-winning Master Blender Jill Boyd

Farm-to-cask Ayrshire distillery Lochlea is delighted to announce the appointment of Jill Boyd as their new Master Blender.

Boyd, originally from Elgin, is an award-winning blender who previously worked at William Grant & Sons as a Laboratory Analyst, before joining Compass Box as Whisky Maker and Brand Ambassador in 2017.

In 2020 she was awarded the title of Master Blender of the Year at the Scottish Icons of Whisky Awards.

In her new role, Boyd will oversee the creation of all new Lochlea whiskies, as well as maintaining current award-winning spirit standards.

On joining Lochlea, Jill said: “I am so thrilled to become part of the incredible team at Lochlea. With passion and enthusiasm at the heart of everything they do, I cannot wait to contribute to their journey and help to shape the future of their exceptional whisky.”

Owner of Lochlea, Neil McGeoch, adds: “I am very excited that the opportunity arose for Jill to join the Lochlea team as our Master Blender. Her breadth, depth of experience, and her success in blending at Compass Box in particular, gives me great confidence that Lochlea whisky is in very good hands.”

About Lochlea Distillery:

Lochlea was originally a 222-acre livestock farm before being purchased by Neil and Jen McGeoch in 2006. After much consideration of the future of the farm and a successful trial to grow its own barley in 2015, the couple transformed the land and existing farm buildings into a fully operational distillery in 2017 and started distilling the following year. The farming side has remained a unique part of Lochlea, with the move into barley production – paving the way for Lochlea to be one of the very few fully grain-to-cask distilleries in Scotland. It also has a rich Scottish heritage with strong links to Robbie Burns, with the bard having worked and lived on the farm a several years.

Lochlea Distillery has recently won the following awards:

– Our Barley: Platinum (Las Vegas Global Spirit Awards)

– Our Barley: Gold (Great British Food Awards)

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Moët Hennessy Whisky School Offers the Certificate in Scotch Whisky to US Bartenders

We have partnered with Moët Hennessy, working with the Glenmorangie and Ardbeg teams to launch MH Whisky School, a bespoke online learning platform which is home to a special version of our Level 1 Certificate in Scotch Whisky course.

Now, in collaboration with PDXCW and Lush Life Productions, US bartenders are being offered the chance to earn the esteemed EWA qualification completely free of charge.

David Blackmore, Moët Hennessy ‘s Global Brand Ambassador for Ardbeg & Glenmorangie, shared his excitement: “Working with EWA to create the MH Whisky School has been seamless. Their expertise ensured the bespoke Certificate in Scotch Whisky course was tailored to our needs, making the process straightforward and enjoyable. This program beautifully combines brand storytelling with recognised whisky certification, and we’re thrilled to see it launch.”

An initial cohort of 500 Moët Hennessy contacts are already progressing through the program, and we’re excited to see how this next phase of growth unfolds.

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Michel Couvreur “Overaged” 12 Year Malt Whisky (750ml) $64.99 View

Wine Enthusiast ~ Although the various whiskies in this blend were distilled in Scotland, it was then moved to France’s Burgundy region to age—so it’s not technically Scotch. The whiskies in the blend are over 12 years old and aged in ex-Sherry casks. The end result is a nut-brown hue and rich dried date and caramel scent. The big, rounded palate surprises with smoke, underpinned with hints of Sherry, dried fig, and caramel, with a long baking spice finish. (KN)

Michel Couvreur 12 Year Old “Domino” Malt Whisky (750ml) $89.99 View

Michel Couvreur is a unique man, with a penchant for making truly incredible whisky! Belgian by birth, inspired by Scotch, and based in Burgundy his whisky’s are complex and elegant–and Domino is no exception. Bottled undiluted at 100 proof, Domino is aged 12 years in a mix of Moscatel and sherry casks.

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STRATH LIQUOR MERCHANTS

As we look ahead to a new year, we wanted to wish all our Friends a very happy 2025. Your love and support for our craft and community is what drives us to keep making Laphroaig for life’s memorable moments.

It’s been another unforgettable year for us, filled with hard work and high spirits. We marked thirty years of Friendship with our exclusive 30 Year Old Anniversary Edition, while the limited edition 2024 Càirdeas Cask Favourites was the talk of Fèis Ìle (and a good deal further).

Whether you’re celebrating with a party or from the comfort of your home, we hope it’s filled with fun, excitement, and cups of kindness.

And for any aspiring first-footers, remember that a bottle of whisky is always a good idea.

DRINKING OUT LOUD