James Kaaden’s Post

Welcome to part 4 in a my series of reviews covering recent releases from the Dumbarton-based independent bottler, Dràm Mòr. In this installment, I’ll be getting to grips with a wee sample from Loch Lomond Distillery, arguably one of the most interesting whisky producers in all of Scotland. Loch Lomond is capable of producing a wide range of different spirits. Each new make style is given a unique name in order to differentiate them. Some are named after islands that can be found in the famous loch. Like Inchmurrin, for example. The Loch Lomond Distillery was established in Alexandria in 1964. There was an earlier distillery to hold the name but it was relatively short-lived and the two are unconnected. Over the plant’s relatively short life, it has undergone several upgrades and expansions. Production commenced on a solitary pair of straight-necked stills that look like a combination between pot and column still. In place of the traditional swan neck, there is a cylindrical column, inside of which, there is a series of plates that can be adjusted to alter the character of the spirit being produced. The number of stills doubled in 1990, before a set of traditional swan neck pot stills were added in 1998. Complicating matters further, a set of column stills were added in 1993, to allow for the production of grain whisky. This made the distillery entirely self-sufficient and able to create everything required for making blended Scotch in-house. Despite the distillery’s impressive flexibility and potential for creativity, however, it would be fair to say that its single malt didn’t always enjoy the greatest of reputations. Things have improved in recent years after first one, then a second, management buyout. A new core range, which showcases the spirit at 46% ABV, without chill-filtering or colour enhancement, paints the spirit in a much more positive light and celebrates some of the incredible flexibility that’s been built into the distillery. Inchmurrin is the name given to an unpeated malt, distilled in the straight-neck stills and this Dràm Mòr expression is a single cask, which has been finished in an oloroso sherry hogshead before bottling at 55.7%. https://lnkd.in/eTPrWa-P

The Lowlands region. 🥃 An historically overlooked region for Scotch whisky, and once home to the infamous ‘rascally liquor’ condemned by Robert Burns, BUT the region is currently undergoing an exciting flurry of revitalisation. Where is the Lowlands region? The Lowlands region is a protected locality under UK Government legislation and is located in the area south of the theoretical Highland line. It stretches from Glasgow, across to the Kingdom of Fife in the east and down to the Scottish Borders in the south. How many distilleries belong to the Lowlands region? As of March 2024, there are 22. Why are there so few distilleries in the Lowlands? In the late 19th century, there were over 100 producers in the Lowlands, producing whisky on an industrial scale, but often of poor quality.  Many became victims of the harsh effects of WWI and the U.S. Prohibition, and by the year 2000 the number of distilleries had plummeted to just THREE. What’s special about the Lowlands region? The Lowlands are home to the FIRST ever written reference to whisky. On the 1 June 1495 the Royal Exchequer Rolls included an entry detailing that Friar John Cor, was ordered by King James IV to produce ‘VIII bolls of malt’ at Lindores Abbey. 👑 Anything else? Because the vast majority of distilleries have been built from the ground up in the last 10 years or so, they tend to be quite innovative and have an inbuilt dedication to sustainability, arguably more so than any of the other regions. ♻️ Eden Mill St. Andrews, for instance, have built a brand-new distillery on the Eden Campus at the University of St. Andrews. The distillery has been built using bio-based materials and aims to achieve net-zero status when it opens later this year. Who are the best-known Lowlands producers? Well-known distilleries include Auchentoshan, Glenkinchie, Bladnoch Distillery, The Borders Distillery and Kingsbarns Distillery and Visitor Centre. Any new distilleries? Yes, The Port of Leith Distillery opened just last year and the revered Rosebank Distillery (which had been mothballed for 25 years) ran its first distillation in June 2023. Does Lowlands whisky have a particular flavour profile? It is often said that Lowland whiskies have a light, grassy and sometimes floral flavour profile. Should I visit? Yes. Most distilleries in this region have visitor centres and offer tours of the facilities. The region is also home to Johnnie Walker Princes Street and the famous SCOTCH Whisky Bar at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh. Any festivals I should know about? Yes, the Fife Whisky Festival held in late February every year showcases whiskies from the Fife area and some of the other regions. You’ll find a wide variety of drams to try, tasting events and masterclasses. Are you a fan of Lowlands whisky? Let me know in the comments. 💫 FOLLOW for more whisky-related insights. 🔗 CONNECT if you’d like to talk about content for your business. #whisky #scotchwhisky #scotland

Just released, 100% distilled in house. A peated single malt, a traditional 'pure' pot still and a post-modern pot still. 1. Oaty McOatFace To mark the tragic tenth anniversary of the ghasty Irish Whiskey GI, Blackwater presents a totally modern and non-compliant pot still whisky. In other words if ‘The Midleton Method’ wasn’t imposed on the entire industry and the department didn’t let a French multinational design a Technical File around two of its products, what might Irish pot still whisky have tasted like? Well here’s something to get you chops around. Double turfed, double oated, double distilled and double casked. Knocks spots of the other stuff.  2 Clashmore 1824 Prior to the establishment of Blackwater Distillery, Clashmore was the last distillery in Waterford and it closed by 1840s. The distillery chimney still straddles the river which runs through the heart of the village of Clashmore. The resulting whisky is something of an ode to the oat, matured exclusively in sherry wood (as was typical at the time), this expression is a real peak into the kind of Irish whisky that has been lost to time. 3 PMD 2: Return of the Dragon The dragon is back and this time he’s at cask strength. What’s more, this single malt is the first age statement whisky from Blackwater. It’s made from 100% Irish barley, grown and malted on the same farm. A real Irish whisky origin story, featuring a dragon, with a heart of fire and a belly full of schmoky stewed apples.

Three Societies on Building South Korean Whiskey Amidst Global Market Challenges: Crafting a Niche in a Competitive Landscape. Bryan Do 도정한, Three Societies Distillery, Oriental Brewery Co., #SouthKoreanWhiskey #ThreeSocieties #WhiskeyIndustry #MarketChallenges #CraftSpirits #GlobalMarket #WhiskeyInnovation #SpiritsBusiness #BrandBuilding #WhiskeyCulture

North Uist Distillery begins whisky production B Corp-certified North Uist Distillery has started distilling whisky and will produce grain-to-glass spirits using heritage barley. Located at Nunton Steadings on the Scottish island of Benbecula, North Uist was founded by Kate Macdonald and Jonny Ingledew in 2019. The 18th-century building that houses the carbon-neutral distillery was acquired by the brand’s founders in 2020. The company, known for its Downpour gin brand, is seeking to create a ‘flavour-forward’ whisky using heritage barley, a long fermentation and brewer’s yeast. Distillation occurs in squat stills that have been designed to fit under the low roof of the distillery building. The downward facing lyne arms of the stills are said to be able to capture more complex flavours, which will be complemented by ex-Bourbon, new oak, and oloroso Sherry-seasoned casks. The distillery will use bere barley, a ‘resilient and rich’ heritage crop that has grown in the high-pH soils of the Outer Hebrides for centuries, and was once Scotland’s primary barley. It has been sourced from local crofters on the island who use traditional and sustainable methods such as seaweed fertilisation. “Distilling whisky here is about more than just the spirit in the cask – it’s about honouring the past while supporting the future of our islands,” said Ingledew. “By using bere barley grown on Uist’s machair, we’re investing in a resilient crop that has evolved with our unique environment over hundreds of years. It’s a true taste of Uist and Benbecula and of the past, present and future we want for our community.” Whisky production is led by distillery manager and head distiller Jacob Crisp (formerly of Dornoch Distillery) who plans to produce one cask per day. North Uist Distillery claims to be one of only 65 B Corp businesses in Scotland. The use of locally grown bere barley will enable the company to produce whisky sustainably. Macdonald added: “We want to produce amazing whisky that honours and protects the land it comes from. That’s why our long-term goal is to have grain-to-glass whisky production using heritage bere barley, grown, malted, distilled and bottled at our historic home at Nunton Steadings. This first distillation is another important step towards that ambition.” Source The Spirit Business

"Bridgeland is a young distillery, but that ethos could be a model for others looking to make distinctive spirits that belong to their place, made from raw materials that can be traced back to their sources" Don Tse, Author, Spirits & Distilling Click below to read how Don Tse described the ingenuity going on at Bridgeland Distillery!

It is always good to start with basics as some of the time people are quite shy to ask what they think most know already. The fact is the majority can always learn something new. For example I didn't know that some labels show the original cask ABV Strength ! Whisky Cask Club Advisor and Sales Director James Kaaden explains in detail the labelling and information on a bottle of Whisky. Why not learn how to enjoy and profit from this rapidly growing industry today? Click the link below to learn more: https://lnkd.in/gFHUie8B #alternativeinvestments #whiskycaskclub #whisky #passionassets #whiskylover #whiskylife #whiskybottle