Loch Lomond Distillery Edition Five

Just in time for my birthday @LochLomondMalts released the fifth in their Distillery Edition series going back to a similar distillation as DE1 - Chardonnay Wine Yeast!

Let's see what it's like!

Loch Lomond say:

"This single malt whisky is distilled in our remarkable Straight Neck stills using 100% unpeated malted barley and is taken at a high collection strength of 85%. Michael Henry, our Master Blender, has opted for a Chardonnay wine yeast during fermentation for this edition, amplifying the orchard fruit notes created during distillation.

The whisky is then matured for 8 years in 1st fill American Oak resulting in a fruit-forward single malt with green apple, kiwi, and a gentle note of cinnamon spice."

Not having a Visitor's Centre means you can only buy this bottle from their website.

Bottler thoughts:

8yo Single Malt distilled 2015, bottled 2024, 600 bottles

he distillery edition series allows our dedicated whisky-making team, led by our Master Blender Michael Henry, to experiment with processes and ingredients in order to unlock new and captivating flavours. Just like our previous four sold-out editions, our fifth release showcases our distillery's innovation and whisky making ability.

Distillery Edition 5 has been distilled using 100% unpeated barley in our unique Straight Neck stills with a narrow spirit cut of 90-80% giving a new make spirit strength of 85% abv. Michael has opted for a combination of Chardonnay wine yeast and distillers yeast during fermentation, amplifying the sweet fruit notes created during distillation.

The whisky has then been matured for 8 years in first fill American Oak. The finished result is a fruit-forward single malt with honey sweetness, green apple and kiwi, grapefruit and gentle cinnamon spice.

Bottled at cask strength of 59.1%, non-chill filtered with natural colour, to keep things as nature intended. 

Nose: Mineralic, limestone, honey blossom and elderflower with white pear and grape

Taste: Honey sweetness with green apple and kiwi before gentle cinnamon spice

Finish: Medium length, icing sugar sweetness and grapefruit

My thoughts:

Appearance: Very pale gold in the glass, swirls leave thin lines which takes an age to bead up forming an inverted crown and eventually fall as slow thin legs.

Nose: Over ripe orchard fruit, beach pebbles and honey. Apples, pears and peaches that have just started to turn, a slight musty note mixes with sweet honey hints. Damp pebbles with a hint of salinity.

Palate: Thick sweet arrival with a lovely spicy bite. Honey and drying icing sugar offer sweetness. The fruit has turned tropical with pineapple, apricot and kiwi. There's that slightly musty note from the nose and a wonderful Chardonnay Wine Yeast effervescence on the tongue.  There's a lovely ginger spice which slowly develops into more of a dry spice. After the first couple of sips a salted lemon citrus note lingers in the mouth alongside a hint of salinity.

 

Finish: Long dry and spicy - salted lemon.and ginger spice.

Summary: The Distillery Edition series has come full circle back to Edition 1's Chardonnay Wine Yeast. This time a small batch of 3 casks rather than the single cask giving more people the change to try it. For me this Inchmurrin style spirit with CWY is the best of the 9+ styles of whisky Loch Lomond distil and this DE5 is my favourite of the five releases to date. The orchard fruit nose, switching to tropical on the palate, the citrus and the signature effervescence on the tongue just ticks all of my boxes!

Loch Lomond Distillery Editions:

Edn	Released	Year	Age	Name	Information	ABV	Price
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