Located just an hour from Glasgow, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park provide a lush retreat for nature lovers, and now the area’s eponymous distillery is releasing a rare 54 Year Old single malt Scotch whisky to celebrate the surrounding hills and oak woodlands. Only 55 bottles of the whisky will be made available.
Distilled in 1967, just one year after the distillery’s iconic straight neck stills began production in 1966, the Loch Lomond 54 Year Old has been crafted from unpeated malted barley and collected at high strength. It is the oldest single malt to have been released by the distillery to date, and was originally matured in a refill American Oak hogshead before being recasked into a refill European oak sherry hogshead in 1994.
As the only distillery in Scotland to use straight-neck pot stills, Loch Lomond Whiskies is truly unique in its craftsmanship. These stills are important as they provide Loch Lomond Whiskies with the creative freedom to explore flavour, allowing the character of the whisky to be carefully shaped at the point of distillation, creating a lighter spirit with a distinctive fruit flavour.
The maturation over 54 years has created a whisky of refined richness and exceptional character. Notes of crème caramel, fresh vanilla pods, melted brown sugar and toasted oak, orange peel and marmalade on the nose, give way to vibrant fruit, tart pineapple and lemon citrus with a honey and dried fruit sweetness on the palate, creating a smooth, silk-like mouthfeel. The finish complements the flavour, with long, mouth-watering green fruit and floral notes, kiwi and elderflower followed by waves of warming oak spice, aniseed and cinnamon.
The Loch Lomond 54 Year Old is presented in a hand-made Glencairn Crystal 30% lead crystal decanter, a unique and premium version of the distiller’s recently refreshed bottle design. The decanter, which features a heavy plinth style base, is hand engraved with satin gold infill and features a gold satin aged effect metal coin bearing the Loch Lomond Whiskies stag logo. It comes housed in a multi-layered oak box, hand-crafted to represent the contours of the area around the single malt’s namesake loch.
Non chill-filtered and natural in colour, the whisky has been nurtured by each Master Blender over the decades and passed into the careful custodianship of Master Blender Michael Henry.
“We are honoured to take our name from the most famous of all Scotland’s lochs,” said Henry. “Loch Lomond is a very special part of the world, spectacularly marking the boundary between the lowlands and the highlands of Scotland.
“From the wild peaks of the magnificent Ben Lomond to the rocky coastline and sprawling glens close to the distillery, the location epitomises everything that Scotland stands for and has inspired many poets, writers, musicians, and artists for generations. Today, its beauty has been the guiding influence of our whisky and is reflected on the beautiful presentation box in which it is housed.
“It is a real privilege to work with a whisky so rare. Our 54 Year Old single malt whisky had been maturing for more than 40 years before I joined as Master Blender in 2007.
“It takes a very special cask of whisky to make it to 54 years old, and the expectations are high when working with liquid as special and scarce as this. It was a huge undertaking and came with great responsibility. Selecting and perfecting this single malt was a true honour, and we’re proud to announce its release – ready to be enjoyed as a rare piece of distilling history.
“Although steeped in tradition, innovation sits at the very heart of our approach to whisky making. We believe this is the best way to create great whisky of unwavering quality.”
Loch Lomond 54 Year Old is bottled at 41.1% ABV and is priced at £24,000 ($27,140 USD) and is available globally. For further information, head over to the brand’s official website.
In May, Loch Lomond unveiled two limited edition single malt whiskies in celebration of The Open: The Open Course Edition 2022 and The Open Special Edition 2022.