Loch Lomond Distillery Edition Nine

@LochLomondMalts have just released the ninth in their Distillery Edition series going back to Long Fermentation.

This time it's a 10yo, let's try it!

Once again Michael Henry has gone back to Long Fermentation for this ninth Distillery Edition, using the distillery's annual 'Summer Shutdown' to give some fermenting wort a little extra time: around 500 hours - 5 times the normal duration.

Loch Lomond say:

"The Distillery Edition Series is a concept developed and crafted by our Master Distiller, Michael Henry. This series celebrates our distillery’s commitment to innovation and  showcases our whisky-making ability and capability to produce flavour like no one else."

Distillery thoughts:

Our Distillery Edition 9 showcases the artistry of our Straight Neck stills and innovative whisky-making. This limited release, distilled on 23rd June 2015, uses unpeated spirit from the straight neck still at low collection strength before maturing exclusively in first-fill bourbon casks.


Crafted from spirit fermented for 2–3 weeks during our summer shutdown using M and MX yeasts, just three barrels were hand-selected for this batch. The result is a vibrant whisky with aromas of pear, peach, vanilla fudge, and grapefruit, layered with honeyed sweetness, lemon, and shortcrust pastry on the palate. The finish lingers luxuriously with poached pear in vanilla syrup.

Bottled at 56.3% ABV, non-chill filtered, and with natural colour.

My thoughts:

Appearance: Light gold in the Glencairn, swirls leave thin lines which bead up slowly and fall as slow thin legs.

     

                

Nose: Orchard fruit to start: peaches, apricots, plums and green apple. There's an interesting herbal note, some honey and a hint of sour citrus.

Palate: Thick sweet arrival: golden syrup and icing sugar to start. That herbal note from the nose is back - a little off putting. There's some citrus peel, vanilla and a little effervescence reminiscent of Chardonnay Wine Yeast fermentation. Doughy cinnamon rolls, toffee pennies and a little drying marzipan round things off.

 

Finish: Lingering cinnamon spice, peaches and a little citrus.

Summary: I really struggled with this one to be fair. which is why it's taken me a few months and half a bottle to write my review. I've loved the previous Long Fermentation release and an under-the-counter bottling I tried at Glasgow whisky Festival last year but this one seems very different. Andy @PadWhisky suggested olives for the herbal note I wasn't keen on - I don't like them either. Probably my least favourite of the DE's to date but there'll be more along soon I'm sure!

 

Loch Lomond Distillery Editions:

Edn	Released	Year	Age	Name	Information	ABV	Price
9	Oct '25	2015	10	Summer Shutdown	2-3 week fermentation, Glen Douglas spirit - 3 cask vatting.	56.3%	£65
8	Apr '25	2010	15	High, Narrow & Handsome	Rhosdu spirit - 3 cask vatting.	56.4%	£55
7	Nov '24	2012	12	Tropical Refill	Glen Douglas spirit, Chardonnay Wine Yeast fermentation - 3 cask vatting	55.7%	£70
6	Sep '24	2016	8	Single Distillery Unpeated Blend	80% Rhosdu & 20% Glen Douglas spirit - vatting	56.9%	£50
5	Apr '24	2015	8	Orchard & Vineyard	Inchmurrin spirit, Chardonnay Wine Yeast fermentation - 3 cask vatting	59.1%	£57
4	Nov '23	2016	7	Supercharged Floral & Tropical Fruits	Rhosdu spirit - 3 cask vatting married for a month in wood	58.9%	£45
3	Jul '23	2012	10	Extra Long fermentation	Glen Douglas spirit - 3 cask vatting	57.2%	£70
2	Apr '23	2017	5	Single Distillery Peated Blend	80% Rhosdu & 20% Croftengea spirit, vatting	57.7%	£40
1	Nov '22	2010	9	Chardonnay Yeast	Glen Douglas spirit, Chardonnay Wine Yeast fermentation - Single Cask #119	57.1%	£65

Geeky bit:

Here's a table of the different spirit types Loch Lomond can produce: