From the southern shores of one of Scotland's most iconic landmarks, Loch Lomond Distillery has emerged as one of the fastest-rising names in the Scotch whisky industry. After six decades of whisky making in relative quiet, recent years have seen the producer making waves.
Awarded the Scotch Whisky Producer trophy by the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) in 2024, and becoming the most awarded Scotch whisky brand at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Loch Lomond Distillery is now one of the fastest-growing top 50 single malt Scotch whiskies globally.
To mark this milestone, Loch Lomond is launching a ‘Golden Week’ of sampling and tasting: an invitation to whisky lovers everywhere to experience its award-winning craftsmanship firsthand. We visited Loch Lomond Distillery to find out more.
Golden Week
As part of its continued rise, Loch Lomond is launching ‘Golden Week’ (24–30 March), a global celebration of its award-winning whisky. Teaming up with The Whisky Exchange, Master of Malt and other retailers the distillery will offer an extensive sampling campaign globally. The festivities culminate on April 9th, when whisky enthusiasts can join an exclusive online tasting with industry legend Joel Harrison and Loch Lomond’s master blender Michael Henry.
Golden Week Sampling Campaign – 24–30 March
- Exclusive promotions with retailers such as The Whisky Exchange, Master of Malt, Whisky World, Hard to Find Whisky and Royal Mile Whiskies in the UK, plus other global retailers
- Whisky fans get great promotions off Loch Lomond whiskies and a chance to explore the award-winning range
Exclusive Virtual Tasting – 9 April
- Hosted by whisky expert Joel Harrison and master blender Michael Henry
- Live Streamed on Loch Lomond’s YouTube channel at 7:15 PM BST
- Featuring key expressions: Loch Lomond Original, 12 Years Old Perfectly Balanced, 18 Years Old, and Steam & Fire
Whisky making that’s guided by tradition, but not beholden to it
Loch Lomond Distillery traces its roots back to 1816, but its modern operation took shape when it was reimagined in 1965 by American entrepreneur Duncan Thomas. At the forefront of Scotch whisky innovation, Thomas introduced a forward-thinking philosophy that remains ingrained in everything Loch Lomond does today.
Loch Lomond Distillery has been quietly crafting whisky on the banks of its namesake loch for more than 60 years. Over the past decade, investment in innovation and marketing has propelled it into one of the most versatile and technically advanced distilleries in Scotland. The secret: doing things differently. And now, this under-the-radar distillery’s unique approach to Scotch whisky making means its reputation is now soaring.
“The turning point came in 2014: we started bottling our own whisky, telling our story, and getting liquid on lips.” explains Gary Mills, Loch Lomond’s brand ambassador. More people tasting meant more people sitting up and taking notice of the distillery’s whiskies and its one-of-a-kind production methods.
Traditional swan-neck pot stills, straight-neck stills, and two types of column stills — it’s a whisky-making setup so inventive, it could have been dreamed up by Willy Wonka himself. Arguably Scotland’s most complex distillery, Loch Lomond has the ability to craft a variety of spirit styles and remains the only whisky distillery in Scotland to house both traditional swan-neck and its idiosyncratic straight-neck stills. “We’re guided by tradition,” as Mills puts it, “but not beholden to it.”
Scotland’s Most Complex Distillery: Production Explained
Whisky making at Loch Lomond is a one-of-a-kind process. These distinctive straight-neck stills, equipped with internal trays, allow for high ABV control, producing spirit at up to 90% ABV compared to the usual 70%. This provides additional flexibility and a greater level of precision over distillation, enabling master blender Michael Henry to carefully shape the character of the whisky. The result is a diversity of single malt spirit styles unlike any other in Scotland.
“Our still room floor allows us to be very flavour-forward and very fruit-forward. Most distilleries talk about 60-80 per cent of their flavour coming from wood. For us, we shape a lot of our character at the distillation stage. We can produce multiple styles of spirit — ranging from light, floral Lowland-style whisky to heavily peated expressions — all under one roof,” explains Mills.
“The analogy I always use is: if our master blender, Michael Henry, were an artist, most distilleries would give him three colours on a palette to paint with. We give him eight. That allows us to create layers, depth, and real complexity in our whisky.”
Adding to its unique approach, Loch Lomond is one of just four distilleries in Scotland with its own on-site cooperage, ensuring full control over cask selection and maturation. With this level of complexity, whisky fans can draw parallels between Loch Lomond’s approach and that of Japan’s oldest whisky distilleries, where the production of multiple spirit styles and an emphasis on blending is central to crafting distinct expressions.
From the still room to the blending lab, Michael Henry has created Loch Lomond’s signature style of fruit, honey, and soft smoke which has now been widely recognised for its immense complexity with major industry awards.
Awards that the team are suitably pleased to have received, but, as Gary Mills says: “We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved, but whisky is meant to be shared.”
Loch Lomond’s Signature Expressions
For those new to Loch Lomond, Gary recommends two standout expressions, starting with the Loch Lomond 12 Years Old Perfectly Balanced: “It’s the definition of our house style: orchard fruits, honey sweetness, and soft smoke. It’s the kind of whisky you can share at the table, and everyone will find something to love about it.”
The Loch Lomond 18 Years Old, which was named The Whisky Exchange’s Whisky of the Year, offers rich oak spice, dried fruit, and a touch of peat. “It’s an evolution of the 12-year-old — deeper, richer, and more complex. It’s everything you want from an 18-year-old whisky but at a fantastic price.”
Curious about Scotland’s most complex spirit? Experience it for yourself through Golden Week
To celebrate a golden year of accolades, Loch Lomond is launching the Golden Week sampling campaign, culminating in an exclusive virtual whisky tasting on 9 April with whisky expert Joel Harrison and Loch Lomond Master Blender Michael Henry.
The occasion is a moment for the brand to celebrate on a global scale. And what’s a celebration without a dram? “As proud as we are of all the wins, what we really want is for people to taste Loch Lomond whisky,” says Gary Mills. “You’ve got two whisky legends – Joel Harrison and our master blender, Michael Henry. Michael brings the deep science of distillation, and Joel is the ultimate storyteller. It’s an unmissable combination.”
If the awards are anything to go by, Loch Lomond Distillery is producing the spirit of the moment. As the team puts it, “We’ve known for years how good our whisky is. Now the rest of the world can see it too.”
Learn more at www.lochlomondwhiskies.com
