Whisky Focus - Lochlea Stout Cask Finish

Lochlea, the farm-to-cask distillery in Ayrshire, has unveiled its first-ever single malt whisky matured in stout beer casks: the Lochlea Stout Cask Finish. This UK-exclusive limited edition is the result of a creative collaboration with Glasgow-based craft brewery Overtone, known for its seasonal beers inspired by music and various musical genres.

The journey of Lochlea Stout Cask Finish began with the distillery’s flagship whisky, Their Barley, initially matured in a mix of ex-bourbon, STR, and Oloroso sherry casks. The whisky was then transferred into casks previously loaned to Overtone Brewery to age their rich stout beer. Once seasoned by the stout, the casks returned to Lochlea to impart their distinctive flavours to the distillery’s floral and fruity Lowland spirit.

The resulting whisky is said to showcase a rich and complex profile. On the nose, expect notes of buttery shortbread, tropical fruits, and macadamia nuts. The palate offers layers of sweet toffee and toasted barley, leading to a long, moreish finish with vibrant fruit and cereal undertones.

Bottled at 52% ABV and non-chill filtered, the Lochlea Stout Cask Finish highlights Lochlea’s commitment to innovation and its close collaborations with independent, like-minded local producers.

Lochlea’s Trade Sales Manager Emma Kirk said: "One of the benefits of Lochlea’s position as an independent distillery is our ability to be experimental and collaborate with other like-minded brands. When we discovered Overtone - one of Glasgow’s best craft breweries - were on the hunt for whisky casks to mature their first ever double mash stout in, we could not turn the opportunity down. Lochlea gifted the brewery the cask make up of our core expression, Our Barley. On return, our production team filled each stout seasoned cask with ‘Our Barley’, for a year. Our distillery team have chosen three casks out of the six; the result is this delicious first stout cask finish ever to be released by us that we are really proud of."

The team at Overtone said: "It’s been a pleasure to have this ongoing yearly side project with a local distillery that’s consistently pushing boundaries and doing incredible things. Our collaboration begins with brewing a rich, robust stout, full of roasty goodness, which is then aged in their freshly emptied casks. After about 8 months, the barrels are emptied and refilled with their whisky, creating a fascinating blend of flavours. I’m excited to see how this partnership evolves in the years to come, and I’m sure craft enthusiasts will enjoy the unique character it brings. We truly value this relationship and look forward to what we can achieve together."

Lochlea Stout Cask Finish launches on 3rd December with a RRP of £59.99 and it will be available from specialist online whisky shops such as The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt
 

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