American oak: bourbon, refill and re-charred casks
Tasting notes
Nose
Malty, with golden biscuit, light fruit and a touch of oak
Palate
Sweet honey, peach, pear, delicate orange citrus and creamy vanilla
Finish
Medium length, with barley sweetness and a hint of soft smoke
About this whisky
Loch Lomond The Original is the signature single malt from Loch Lomond Distillery, which sits on the southern shore of Scotland’s most famous loch, just north of Glasgow. It’s a smooth, malty and gently fruity Highland whisky with honey sweetness, orchard fruit and a soft wisp of smoke on the finish.
Matured in three types of American oak cask and bottled at 40% ABV, it’s the starting point of the Loch Lomond range and one of the best-value single malts you can buy. It’s an everyday dram that works neat, over ice or in a highball, and an easy way into single malt if you usually drink blended Scotch.
Loch Lomond Original Tasting Notes
Nose: Malty, with golden biscuit, light fruit and a touch of oak.
Palate: Sweet honey to start, then peach, pear, a delicate orange citrus note and creamy vanilla.
Finish: Medium length, with barley sweetness and a hint of soft smoke.
It’s light-to-medium bodied and very approachable, with just enough of that smoky edge to keep it interesting.
How Loch Lomond Original Is Made
Three American oak casks
The Original is aged in a mix of bourbon, refill and re-charred American oak casks. Bourbon casks bring vanilla and sweetness, refill casks let the fruity, malty spirit shine through, and re-charred casks, which have had their insides freshly burned, add toasty depth and a little extra colour and spice.
Straight-neck and swan-neck stills
Loch Lomond is one of the most unusual distilleries in Scotland. As well as traditional swan-neck pot stills, it uses its own straight-neck stills, which have trays inside their tall, cylindrical necks. This lets the distillers control exactly how heavy or light the spirit is, so a single distillery can make many different styles of whisky. The Original uses spirit from both types of still, which is part of why it tastes both clean and fruity.
Be the first to review this whisky
Write a review
Malt and grain under one roof
Loch Lomond also runs column stills, making it one of very few Scottish distilleries to produce both malt and grain whisky on one site. In the mid-1990s it was the only distillery in Scotland doing both. That flexibility means it can make single malts, single grains and blends without relying on other distilleries.
Loch Lomond Distillery: A Short History
There has been a distillery bearing the Loch Lomond name since 1814, when one was built at the north end of the loch near Tarbet. Today’s distillery is much younger. It was set up in 1964 by the former owners of Littlemill Distillery, and production began at Alexandria, at the southern end of Loch Lomond, in 1965.
1965: malt whisky production begins at Alexandria.
1984: production stops.
1987: Glen Catrine Bonded Warehouses takes over and restarts malt distilling.
1993–94: grain whisky production begins alongside malt.
2014: a management team led by Colin Matthews buys the business with investment group Exponent.
2019: a second management-led buyout, backed by Hillhouse Capital.
The Loch Lomond Group also owns Glen Scotia, one of the last working distilleries in Campbeltown. Each bottle of The Original carries the signature of Master Blender Michael Henry.
The whisky of The Open
Loch Lomond is the official spirit of The Open, golf’s oldest major championship, so you’ll often see the brand around the world’s most famous links courses. It has also sponsored rugby, including PRO14 Rugby and Wigan Warriors.
A Tintin connection (sort of)
Fans of Hergé’s Tintin books will know Captain Haddock’s favourite whisky is “Loch Lomond”. The comic brand is fictional and had nothing to do with the real distillery, but it’s a fun piece of trivia to share over a dram.
Awards
The Original has collected several Gold medals, including at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2018, the International Spirits Challenge 2020 and the Scotch Whisky Masters 2020, as well as a Silver at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2022.
How to Enjoy Loch Lomond The Original
Neat: a light, easy sipper that shows off the honey and orchard fruit.
Over ice: a large cube softens it further on a warm day.
In a highball: top up with soda water or ginger ale and add a slice of orange or lemon. The citrus notes in the whisky love it.
In cocktails: its price and mellow style make it a great single malt for a Penicillin, a Whisky Sour or a Rob Roy.
Who Is It For?
Loch Lomond The Original suits anyone who wants a smooth, good-value single malt for everyday drinking or mixing. It’s an ideal first single malt, a reliable house whisky to keep on the shelf, and a thoughtful gift for golf fans thanks to the brand’s link with The Open.
Similar Whiskies You Might Enjoy
If you like The Original’s soft, honeyed style, these easy-going single malts are worth a look:
Aberfeldy 12 Year Old: another Highland single malt built around honey, with vanilla, fudge and the faintest whisper of smoke.
The Glenlivet 12 Year Old: a light, fruity Speyside 12 year old matured in American and European oak.
It isn’t a peated whisky in the Islay sense. It’s mostly malty, honeyed and fruity, with just a hint of soft smoke on the finish.
What does Loch Lomond Original taste like?
Expect malt and golden biscuit on the nose, then honey, peach, pear, orange and creamy vanilla on the palate, with a medium finish and a touch of smoke.
How old is Loch Lomond Original?
It has no age statement. Loch Lomond chooses casks for flavour rather than a set number of years.
What casks is Loch Lomond Original aged in?
Three types of American oak: bourbon, refill and re-charred casks.
Where is Loch Lomond whisky made?
At Loch Lomond Distillery in Alexandria, at the southern end of Loch Lomond in the Scottish Highlands, about 20 miles north-west of Glasgow.
Is it the same as the “Loch Lomond” whisky in Tintin?
No. Captain Haddock’s Loch Lomond in the Tintin books was invented by Hergé and has no link to the real distillery.
Is Loch Lomond Original good for cocktails?
Yes. Its smooth, fruity style and great price make it an excellent single malt for highballs, Whisky Sours and other mixed drinks.
What is the ABV and bottle size?
Loch Lomond The Original is bottled at 40% ABV in a 70cl bottle.
