Loch Lomond Distillery

About the distillery

Loch Lomond Distillery is located in Alexandria in the Highlands, just a few minutes from Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, and is one of the most technically distinctive distilleries in Scotland. Here, both straight neck and traditional swan neck stills are used, along with in-house grain production and an on-site cooperage. The result is a wide range, from light, fruity malts to more smoky and spicy expressions.

History

The roots go all the way back to 1772 with Littlemill Distillery, which is regarded as Scotland’s oldest licensed distillery. At Loch Lomond, a distillery is mentioned for the first time in 1814, near Tarbet by the lake’s northwestern end. The current Loch Lomond Distillery was created in 1965 by the former owners of Littlemill, and the site opened at its current address in 1966 with Straight Neck Pot Stills based on Littlemill’s designs from the early 1960s.

In 1985, the Bulloch family bought the distillery, and in 1990 an additional set of Straight Neck Stills was installed. Two years later, in 1994, grain production was added, making Loch Lomond the only Scottish distillery with both malt and grain production. In 1998, the traditional swan neck pot stills arrived, and in 2007 the continuous stills began using malted barley. After the Loch Lomond Group takeover in 2014, investments in more washbacks followed, and in 2017 a third set of Straight Neck Stills was installed. This provided an illuminated malt capacity of 5 million liters per year. Since 2018, Loch Lomond Whisky has also been the official spirit for The Open and AIG Women’s Open.

Raw materials and production

Loch Lomond works with both malt and grain on the same site, which is a rarity in Scotch whisky. The malt whisky is distilled in two different types of stills: Straight Neck Pot Stills and more traditional Swan Neck Pot Stills. The straight neck stills are equipped with distillation trays in the neck, and the distillery uses different cut points to shape the flavor. This makes it possible to create eight different single malt styles. In production, both peated and unpeated malted barley are used, and the distillery emphasizes that the long 92-hour fermentation preserves a fruity core character throughout the house.

The grain whisky is produced in a continuous still with a blend of 90% wheat and 10% malted barley and has a capacity of 20 million liters per year. An on-site cooperage is also part of the setup, where casks are repaired, re-charred, and prepared again. The distillery mentions that around 10,000 casks are refreshed over the course of a year. Michael Henry is master blender and works across distillation, maturation, blending, and bottling.

Maturation and cask types

The storage happens primarily in American oak, especially ex-American oak bourbon barrels, which help give the house a sweet and fruity style. The range also uses refill, first fill, and recharred casks, and selected releases include ex-Oloroso sherry casks, European oak, and French Limousin casks. Some whiskies receive a final maturation or finish in sherry casks, while others retain a cleaner American oak profile. The in-house cooperage makes it possible to repair, tighten, and re-char casks with great precision before filling them again.

Whiskies

The core range is built around several distinct expressions. The classic 12 Year Old shows the house’s balance of fruit, light smoke, and sweetness. Inchmurrin 12 Year Old leans more toward fruit, floral notes, and vanilla, while Inchmoan 12 Year Old is the smokier, spicier side of the house. In addition, there are 14, 18, 21, and 30 Year Old, which work with greater complexity, longer maturation, and different cask combinations. The range is complemented by the The Original series, single grain whisky, Waypoint Series, Distillery Editions, Open releases, and a few very old special releases.

Whisky style and flavor profile

The house has a clear signature at the intersection of fruit, sweetness, and smoke. In the lighter expressions, peach, pear, apricot, floral notes, and vanilla show up again and again, while the more smoky whiskies move toward peat smoke, soft smoke, wood smoke, and spice. The sweetness often comes through toffee, honey, vanilla, and creamy malty notes, and the more mature versions also show oak spice, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Taken together, it results in a style that can be fruity, smooth, spicy, and smoky all at once.

Visiting the distillery

There is an official shop and clear options to buy whisky online, but the provided text does not describe a fixed open visiting program with general opening hours. Instead, tastings and tasting master classes are mentioned, including with master blender Michael Henry and brand ambassadors in connection with the golf partnership. Selected bottles can be personalized with engraving, and orders are shipped with express delivery; support, gift wrapping, and corporate gifting are also mentioned. The distillery therefore appears to be a place you primarily encounter through the shop, tastings, and events.

The stated opening hours are Online shop and support are listed; public visiting activities are described on the provided pages as tasting master classes and on-course activities, but no fixed opening hours are shown.

Philosophy and craftsmanship

Loch Lomond connects craftsmanship and style very directly and views whisky as the result of the choices made in distillation and maturation. Michael Henry oversees everything from distillation to maturation, blending, and bottling, and the house emphasizes that it will never stop seeking new ways to make the whisky more special. Innovation is central, both in the unique straight neck stills, in the use of different cut points, and in the on-site cooperage, which provides precise control over casks and maturation.

Awards and recognition

• IWSC Trophy Medal (2025, Trophy Medal, Loch Lomond 12 Year Old Single Malt Whisky)

• Double Gold (2024, Double Gold, Loch Lomond 12 Year Old Single Malt Whisky)

• Category Winner (2024, Category Winner, Loch Lomond 12 Year Old Single Malt Whisky)

• Best Single Malt Whisky Under 15 Years Old (2024, Winner, Loch Lomond Inchmurrin 12 Year Old Single Malt Whisky)

• Scotch Whisky Distillery of the Year (2024, Trophy)

Latest news

Golden Year reaches the Hall of Fame – 2025-09-10

Loch Lomond Whiskies states that 2025 has already been a golden year, and that the 12 Year Old Perfectly Balanced at the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition has been part of that development.

Celebrate Loch Lomond Whiskies' Golden Year – 2025-03-17

A campaign page that marks the year’s results and summarizes the distillery’s successes in 2025.

Celebrating Our Greatest Year Together – 2024-11-15

The distillery closes 2024 with the award as Scotch Whisky Distillery of the Year at IWSC and highlights the year as the strongest to date.

Introducing The Waypoint Series – 2024-10-09

The Waypoint Series is launched as a new series inspired by the landscape around Loch Lomond.

Product Release: Loch Lomond 25 Year Old – 2024-04-09

Loch Lomond 25 Year Old is introduced as a new addition to the core range.

Introducing Sonata: a unique collection in support of women shaping whisky – 2024-04-02

Sonata is presented as a unique collection to support women in the whisky industry.