New series of blended malt whiskies from Loch Lomond Group
Located in the very south of the Highlands, the Loch Lomond distillery is widely recognized as the most versatile distillery in terms of the whisky distilling equipment it owns. In just one Loch Lomond, using different combinations of alembics can produce at least several different whiskies. Not to mention the variations in the degree of smoke used to produce barley malt. Or creative use of the distillery's existing continuous distillation equipment, column apparatuses. If we add to the above the fact that the Loch Lomond group also includes the Glen Scotia distillery, the potential for making all kinds of blended whiskies seems endless.
The Loch Lomond Group has just announced the arrival on the market of a series of new whiskies that are blends of several types of malt whiskies, representatives of the genre known as blended malt whisky. Series Noble Rebel are three whiskies whose very names provide an introduction to the aroma and flavor profile of each of them. These are Orchard Outburst,Smoke Symphony i Hazelnut Harmony. They were given a consistent graphic design, and each was bottled as a 46% vol. beverage., bypassing the cold filtration process. Each was composed by the brand's master blender, Michael Henry, using primarily distillates from Loch Lomond and Glen Scotia, but also with a small proportion of whiskies from other, undisclosed producers.
Orchard Fruit is a beverage that includes whiskey, for which Chardonnay wine yeast was used in the fermentation process. The addition helped carry the concentration of fruit and citrus accents in the final product. In its bouquet you will find harmoniously arranged notes of ripe fruit from the orchard, salty sea breeze, lemons and limes and citrus peels.
Smoke Symphony, according to the manufacturer, it's intertwining threads of peat smoke and chili. You'll also find the slight acidity of berries and pronounced spices. The whisky underwent a finish in Spanish Rioja wine barrels.
Hazelnut Harmony finished in roasted American oak barrels. In its profile you will find notes of hazelnut, beeswax, honey and vanilla.
All three whiskies are expected to be available from March 1. The retail price has been set at £40 per bottle.
According to the classification adopted by the Scotch Whisky Association, the term "blended" applies in two basic cases. Blended Scotch whisky is a beverage that is a blend of the products of at least two different distilleries, including at least one malt and one grain. The best-known examples of blended Scotch whisky are the popular spirits brands Ballantine's, Johnnie Walker, Black & White, Dewar's and others.
On the other hand, the term "blended malt" is reserved for whiskies also being a blend of distillates from at least two different distilleries, but in this case only malt whiskies are referred to. In other words, a blended malt is a combination of at least two single malt whiskies, without even a drop of grain whisky. This category is without comparison less widely available on the market, although in recent years its popularity has been growing quite rapidly.
Perhaps the most famous example is Monkey Shoulder whisky, the first batches of which were a blend of distillates from Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Kininvie. In specialty stores you can also find Timorous Beastie from Douglas Laing, Malt Riot from Glasgow Distillery, blended malt whiskies from Compass Box (Story of the Spaniard, or Spice Tree), and finally Chivas Regal Ultis, or Johnnie Walker Green Label.
It should also be mentioned that any whisky that has been created by adding a small amount of one single malt to a cask of another single malt - so-called teaspooned whisky - is technically also blended malt whisky. Even though, in their case, the addition of a few drops of one to a barrel of the other may not affect its profile in any way. However, these are blended malt whiskies and as such cannot be labeled with the names of the distilleries they come from. Perhaps the best-known example of teaspooned whisky is Burnside, the overwhelming majority of which is Balvenie, to which a minimal amount of Glenfiddich has been added. The whisky fully retains the aroma and flavor qualities of Balvenie, but cannot be bottled and sold as Balvenie single malt whisky.
The term "blended" is far less commonly used for blends of two or more grain whiskies. Then we have blended grain whisky, for example, the famous inaugural whisky from Compass Box, Hedonism.
The current offerings of the House of Whisky Online include a range of blended malt whiskies, which we cordially invite you to familiarize yourself with.
[21.02.2023 / photo: Loch Lomond Group]