Lochlea Overtone Over & Stout

The second and final Overtone release from Lochlea, a collaboration with Overtone Brewery, a Glasgow-based craft brewer, began with shared casks used to mature stout before being returned to Lochlea for whisky finishing.

Let's see what it's like!

For the past few years Lochlea distillery have had a deliciously fruitful partnership with Overtone Brewery. ⁠

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It started when Overtone matured their double mash stout in casks which had previously held Lochlea's whisky, resulting in the acclaimed "Overtone: Our Barley Aged" beer. ⁠

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Afterwards, those casks were returned to the distillery and filled with new make Lochlea spirit. The resulting whisky has been released in two editions, of which this is the second and final. ⁠

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Over & Stout is a marriage of five casks: three of the Overtone stout-seasoned casks, one first-fill bourbon barrel and one peated bourbon barrel. The result is a rich, chocolatey whisky with notes of gentle smoke, vanilla custard, toffee, spice and toasted cereals. 

This second and final Overtone release comprises just five casks in total: three stout-seasoned (two Bourbon barrels, one STR Barrique), one first fill Bourbon barrel, and one ex-peated Bourbon barrel.

The result is a whisky that deepens the stout’s earthy, chocolatey character while enhancing sweet vanilla and gentle smoke. Carefully married to harmonise the flavours, this release offers a familiar yet distinctive profile.

Lochlea invites whisky lovers to enjoy this final chapter in the Overtone collaboration, crafted with passion and precision.

The nose reveals sweet stout beer aromatics alongside light smoke and oak.

The palate unfolds with creamy vanilla, cinder toffee, and BBQ smoke characteristics. 

A warming finish emerges with spice, green oak, rye bread, and cereal notes

My thoughts:

Appearance: yellowy gold in the Glencairn, swirls cling as a thick line, bead up and fall almost immediately as thick oily legs.

 

Nose: the stout influence is immediately apparent but it sits alongside lovely orchard fruit and berry notes, a fruit cocktail? There's dark chocolate, malt loaf, coffee grinds and a gentle smoke with poached pear, lemon zest and a little shortbread.

Palate: thick, mouth coating arrival, Our Barley is there to start with it's pears, lemon zest, baking spices and nutty toffee. But there's an added complexity of dark chocolate, cinder toffee and gentle smoke. It's a little drying as the liquid disappears urging you to take another sip!

Finish: long dry and spicy with dark chocolate, smoke and lemon zest.

Summary: There aren't many stout (or beer) cask finished drams that I've liked, the first Overtone release and one from Cù Bòcan's Creation #1 are the only two which come to mind - but this one is up there with them. Our Barley is a great base to start from and a finish in the ex-Lochlea, ex-Overtone stout casks adds a lovely complexity which isn't too beer-y.