Continuing with my notes from the Loch Lomond distillery visit, I’m diving into the Loch Lomond Steam and Fire single malt Scotch whisky today.
Founded in 1965 by the Littlemill Distillery Company Ltd, Loch Lomond distillery is located in the Highland region of Scotland. Today, the distillery is owned by the Loch Lomond Group, which also owns Glen Scotia in Campbeltown.
One of the unique aspects of Loch Lomond Distillery is its combination of straight-necked and traditional swan-necked stills. This setup allows the distillery to produce a diverse range of spirits, including unpeated and peated single malts, as well as single grain whisky.
Another rare feature of the distillery is its on-site cooperage, where barrels are crafted and maintained. Watching this process was a highlight of our distillery tour.
Michael Henry, the Master Blender at Loch Lomond, was responsible for creating the Steam and Fire expression. This whisky combines spirits from both the distillery’s traditional swan neck and unique straight neck stills.
It was initially aged in first-fill bourbon barrels and American oak casks, then finished for an additional 10 months in first-fill heavily re-charred American oak barrels.
A small portion of the spirit used in Steam and Fire was heavily peated, with the age of the whiskies ranging from 6 to 9 years. The heavy charring of the barrels adds a layer of complexity, bringing out flavours of melted brown sugar and contributing to a rich, buttery mouthfeel.
Launched in 2023, Steam and Fire is the latest release in Loch Lomond’s Remarkable Makers series of Scotch single malts. The distillery collaborated with open-fire chef Genevieve Taylor for this expression. Genevieve is a renowned chef, BBQ expert, and the author of 12 cookery books.
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The Loch Lomond Steam and Fire whisky is non-chill filtered, retains its natural colour, and is a non-age statement (NAS) release.
ABV: 46%
COLOUR: Amber
NOSE: The nose opens with sweet vanilla and fudge, followed by tropical fruit and spice notes, with hints of smoke. Compared to other drams I’ve tried this year, this one leans towards the sweeter side, but it’s nicely balanced by cinnamon and clove notes. The amount of tropical fruit on the nose is a pleasant surprise.
PALATE: The palate evokes memories of an upside-down pineapple cake fresh from the oven. Caramelized sugar, vanilla, and tropical pineapple are all complemented by nutmeg and cloves. Smoke and faint peaty hints linger in the background, along with freshly roasted coffee beans and a touch of citrus.
FINISH: The finish is medium length, with drying oak, smoke, and cinnamon notes. Initially, I expected more woody flavours on the palate, but they took a few moments to emerge.
RATING: EXCELLENT
The Loch Lomond Steam and Fire is a fun, fruity single malt that hits all the right notes. While I hoped for more smoke and woodiness to balance the sweetness, it’s still an impressive dram. It’s a great dram to have in the cupboard for an everyday drink.
The whisky showcases what Michael Henry can achieve as a blender. Steam and Fire is available in South Africa for around R840 and can also be found in the UK and the USA. It retails for around £45 on Amazon in the UK and $56 in the USA.
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