Behind the scenes: Loch Lomond Distillery

Loch Lomond Distillery

Loch, stock and smoking barrels

Loch Lomond Distillery

History

Loch Lomond Distillery was commissioned by the Littlemill Distilling Company in 1964 (I’ll put together a piece about this soon!). Unfortunately in 1984, the distillery closed, but was re-opened in 1987 under new owners.

Loch Lomond Distillery

Production

The distillery is unusual in that it produces both grain and malt whisky and has two different types of stills.

Loch Lomond Distillery

Traditional pot stills as well as column stills means that a variety of flavours can be developed. The column stills can produce alcohol up to 90% ABV where normal pot stills deliver the alcohol at around 70% ABV. This style of still allows for different ‘flavour notes’ to be captured.

Loch Lomond Distillery
Modern column still

Cooperage

The Loch Lomond Cooperage has been in operation since 1994, with the distillery being one of only four in Scotland that has their cooperage on site. I got to watch the coopers at work, dismantling barrels, fixing rivets, re-charring barrels and showing their skills which fix around 10,000 barrels a year!

Loch Lomond Distillery

Loch Lomond Distillery
Re-charring the inside of a barrel

Laboratory

All this whisky making needs monitoring.  Not only does the style of product have to be consistent, the ingredients and processes need to be as well.  The lab keeps watch on production.  Monitoring every step of the process from ingredient quality to the final product.

Loch Lomond Distillery

Storage

Making lots of whisky means requiring the space to store and mature it so there are many many warehouses holding racks and racks of barrels.

Loch Lomond Distillery

Loch Lomond Distillery

Whisky

Loch Lomond Distillery is a huge beast.  Totally different from the chocolate box distillery.  This one makes whisky, and a lot of it.  Here’ a list of their main bottles:

Loch Lomond Single Malt Distillers cut – The Open
Loch Lomond Single Malt Royal Portrush 19 year old
Loch Lomond Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Loch Lomond Single Malt 12 Years Old
Loch Lomond Single Malt 18 Years Old
Loch Lomond Single Malt 25 Years Old
Loch Lomond Single Malt 50 Years Old

Loch Lomond Distillery

While The Island Collection conssist of two sub-brands named after islands on Loch Lomond: Inchmurrin (the grassy isle) & Inchmoan (the peat island).

Inchmurrin 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Inchmurrin 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Inchmurrin Madeira Wood Finish Single malt Scotch Whisky
Inchmoan 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Inchmoan 1992 Vintage Release Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Loch Lomond Distillery

Loch Lomond Distillery

The distillery is not open to the public for tours but you can find out more about Loch Lomond Whisky on their website.

Loch Lomond Distillery

Emma

Emma

Hello!

I am Emma and with my husband Mark write Foodie Explorers, which is a food and travel website.

I am a member of the Guild of Food Writers and British Guild of Travel Writers.

We have a wide range of judging experience covering products, hotels and have judged, for example, for Great Taste Awards and Scottish Baker of the Year.

Along the way Mark gained WSET Level 2 in Wine and I have WSET Level 2 in Spirits as well as picking up an award with The Scotsman Food and Drink Awards.    

Usually I can be found sleeping beside a cat.

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