Loch Lomond Distillery Edition Eleven

@LochLomondMalts have just released the eleventh in their Distillery Edition series going back to their Continuous Copper Coffey Stills but this time with a twist!

This time Michael Henry has bottled a 4yo - which used 70% malted barley and 30% unmalted barley in it's mash bill, let's try it!

Michael and the team milled 35% malted barley, adjusted the roller gaps on the mill, put through 30% unmalted barley, re-adjusted the mill rollers back and milled the last 35% malted barley so that the unmalted barley is mixed through the grist before mashing.

M and MX yeast were used in a 4 day fermentation.

The wort was distilled on 21 Dec 2021 in the 20 meter tall copper Continuous Stills taking the 'Rhosdu' spirit off at 80% rather than the usual 85%.

Around 15,000 litres of alcohol was produced and filled into casks. Michael repeated the same unmalted barley experiment in 2023 so they'll be more to come!

Second fill Bourbon barrels 2021/3329, 2021/3332 & 2021/3334 were married together to create this batch of 400 bottles. 

Distillery thoughts:

"Barley There, our 11th Distillery Edition, looks deeper into barley itself. Crafted with 70% unpeated malted barley and 30% unmalted barley, this 4 Year Old Loch Lomond Single Grain Whisky explores how unmalted barley can bring a different texture and character to contemporary Scotch Whisky.

Unmalted barley was once used in Scotland’s whisky making past, but is rarely seen in Scotch Whisky today. Here, it creates a distinctive creamy mouthfeel and delicate cereal character, while the unpeated malted barley brings clarity, balance and gentle orchard fruit.

Fermented for four days with M and MX yeast, the spirit develops bright fruit and floral notes. Distillation through our continuous copper column still, with the spirit collected at 80% strength, helps retain more of that flavour. Full maturation in second fill Bourbon barrels adds a soft background sweetness, allowing the barley character to come through with clarity.

The result is creamy, crisp and quietly complex, with notes of caramel, green apple, lime zest and short crust pastry, followed by vanilla, golden biscuit, green herbs and violet florals. The finish is clean and dry, with honeydew melon and kiwi fruit."

My thoughts:

Appearance: Pale gold in the Glencairn, swirls leave thin lines which bead up forming small tears which fall as slow thin oily legs.

Nose: Orchard fruit to start: pears, apples and apricots with a hint of spice to come. There's Scottish Tablet, dry icing sugar, vanilla and a little shortbread.

Palate: Thick sweet arrival, mouthcoating, chewy even. Icing sugar drenched Lemon Bonbons give way to peppery spice, a huge effervescent fizz on the tongue - reminiscent of LL's Chardonnay Wine Yeast and Long fermentation releases but this one just seems to dial it up to 11. There's more of the drying crumbly shortbread from the nose, creamy yoghurt and a hint of mint. A little time and air offers porridge notes and a little honey.

 

Finish: Lingering dry peppery spice, lemon, icing sugar and a little tropical fruit..

Summary: Yummy! I'm half a bottle down in 2 sittings... This is easily becoming my favourite of the 11 Distillery Editions. It reminds me of DE1 and DE3 - CWY and Long Fermentation - that unique LL effervescent fizz is huge on this release even thought it's a different still and therefore spirit type. 

The unmalted barley, a nod to Michael's Irish heritage and the illicit stills of Scotland, adds an lovely thick creamy porridge mouthfeel - it's yummy! It's only 4 years old but blind you'd never have guessed - like the Southport Whisky Club bottling from a few year back young single 'grain' Loch Lomonds at a higher ABV are dangerously drinkable. 

Of 400 bottles there were only 80 left after 36 hours - if there's still any left when you read this just go and buy a couple. Michael did say he's filled a few casks - 15,000 litres so there should be more to come! I tried the new make spirit and 2 year old of this a couple of years, it showed promise then. Michael was also experimenting with oats so I can't wait to see that DE12 offers!

 

Loch Lomond Distillery Editions:

Edn	Released	Year	Age	Name	Information	ABV	Bottles	Price
11	May '26	2021	4	Barley There	Rhosdu spirit - 3 cask vatting 30% Unmalted barley	59.6%	400	£39
10	Dec '25	2017	7	Phenol-menon	Croftengea spirit - vatting 50PPM	56.4%	500	£50
9	Oct '25	2015	10	Summer Shutdown	Glen Douglas spirit - 3 cask vatting 2-3 week fermentation	56.4%	500	£55
8	Apr '25	2010	15	High, Narrow & Handsome	Rhosdu spirit - 3 cask vatting	56.4%	339	£55
7	Nov '24	2012	12	Tropical Refill	Glen Douglas spirit - 3 cask vatting Chardonnay Wine Yeast fermentation	55.7%	630	£70
6	Sep '24	2016	8	Single Distillery Unpeated Blend	80% Rhosdu & 20% Glen Douglas spirit - vatting	56.9%	400	£50
5	Apr '24	2015	8	Orchard & Vineyard	Inchmurrin spirit  - 3 cask vatting  Chardonnay Wine Yeast fermentation	59.1%	600	£57
4	Nov '23	2016	7	Supercharged Floral & Tropical Fruits	Rhosdu spirit - 3 cask vatting married for a month in wood	58.9%	400	£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%	300	£40
1	Nov '22	2010	9	Chardonnay Yeast	Glen Douglas spirit  - Single Cask #119 Chardonnay Wine Yeast fermentation	57.1%	265	£65