Lochlea Our Barley
In August 2018, almost exactly four years ago, the independent family-owned distillery started operations. After the first limited bottling at the beginning of 2022, and now the first standard bottling follows. We were provided with a sample by the distillery before the release and are now happy to add our two cents.The farm distillery works under the motto dare to be honest. It puts into practice what many whisky lovers want: Honesty and transparency. From the local cultivation of the barley to the bottling - the whole production process is traceable. Master blender John Campbell, previously distillery manager of Laphroaig for 25 years, seized the opportunity to create a Single Malt Whisky in a new distillery, which is to set new standards in terms of quality. By the way: The packaging is chic and classy, as is the bottle.
The panel
Mean 77.0 · spread 2
Value for money 3/5
- Distillery
- Lochlea
- Type
- Single Malt
- Region
- Lowlands
- Country
- Scotland
- Strength
- 46% ABV
- Character
- mellow
Tasting
Nose
Is this a honey wine? We have a massively sweet, fruity sweetness. Ripe pears, syrup and cream caramel. Very mild, spiciness is almost not noticeable at all. Maybe a little in the background.
Palate
Sweet and spicy and with a good portion of grain and honey, the Lochlea Our Barley makes its way into the mouth. Burnt toast and an alcoholic spiciness follow. There's a little vanilla and some cinnamon in the background. A quite interesting breakfast.
Finish
The spiciness settles on the palate. Dry and medium in length, a young, yet well-balanced single malt says goodbye with a little sweetness reminiscent of sunflower honey.
Verdicts
Marcel
Lochlea Our Barley surprises with its sweet honey note and its fruity-mild character, which offers great drinking pleasure despite its youth. You can taste the passion and courage of John Campbell, who here makes a charming entry into the whisky world – definitely a successful first release with potential for more.
Sascha
The Lochlea Our Barley presents itself as structurally balanced, with the youthful freshness and the local origin of the raw materials standing out positively. Despite the lack of maturity, the single malt shows a solid balance between sweet and spicy components, with complexity likely to grow as it ages.
What it is worth
No auction record for this distillery, so we cannot tell you what this bottle is worth. We would rather say that than guess.