When Lochlea first appeared I don’t think I was particularly bothered. I was coming to the end of my stint of writing and well there was so many new distilleries around it felt like it was another cynical attempt to profit from the bubble. The ex-retailer turned farmer turned distiller type job. Ayrshire’s version of Daftmill and while the distillery being dangerously close to where I was brought up it wasn’t that interesting.
That was until I got a bottle for Christmas and tried it. That bottle has already appeared on this blog with an in-depth section on the distillery itself. Go have a look for yourself at Lochlea Our Barley
The Whisky
Lochlea plays up to the farming theme with the releases always tend to tie back to that theme. The Harvest edition Crop 2 is a combination of ex-Port, ex-Bourbon and STR casks all bottled naturally at 46% ABV.
There is a crop 3 now but crop 2 which I have here is still available for sale at around £40 and change.
Tasting Notes
| Colour | Marmalade orange |
| Nose | I feel like Paddington Bear but there is more orangey marmalade here as well with a heavy sprinkle of black pepper |
| Palate | The rich sweet port influence is introduced here with tannins from wood and more cracked pepper |
| Finish | The thick viscose Lochlea character of the finish which is chewy and moreish all in one |
Final Thoughts
I managed to pickup a whole collection of Lochlea for £20 a piece at auction a year back and I couldn’t believe my luck. I do hope more people realise how good the output from this distillery is. They deserve all their success.
Malted 
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