Loch Lomond 14 Year
Loch Lomond Distillery was founded in 1964 by Duncan Barton, who had formally owned Littlemill Distillery. The distillery stopped production in 1984 but resumed whisky production again in 1993. By the mid-90s, it was the only distillery producing both grain and single malt whiskies, along with containing stills from the original production that have the capacity to produce spirit at 90% ABV, which is much higher than standard copper pot stills. Though other ownship changes have happend in 2014 and 2019, the distillery has remained active in producing a wide portfolio of offerings, under both the Loch Lomond and Inchmurrin brands, many of these bearing age statements. Loch Lomond is the current whisky of a number of sports teams such as the PRO14 Rugby and the Wigan Warriors, along with being the official spirit of The British Open. The Loch Lomond 14 Year was matured in American ex-bourbon barrels before being finished in virgin French Limousin oak casks.
Aberfeldy 15 Year
Aberfeldy was founded in 1896 by John Dewar & Sons and has long been a major staple of Dewar’s Blended Whiskies. Along with occasional releases of casks to the independent bottling market, the distillery offers a range of aged statement single malts. The Aberfeldy 15 is a series of limited edition releases, each featuring a different cask finish. The Aberfeldy 15 featured in this review was released in late 2023 and features finishing in Sémillon wine casks, a sweet white wine from the Cadillac region of France, where a lot of Bordeauxs are found. Other editions have showcased finishing in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Bolgheri Red Wine Casks.
Aberfeldy 12 Year
Aberfeldy was founded in 1896 by the famed John Dewar & Sons on the eastern edge of the town bearing the name, almost directly in the center of Scotland. The distillery currently has two wash stills and two spirit stills. Apart from the distillery shutting down during both world wars due to grain shortages, it has otherwise operated nearly continously. Though ownership eventually passed to the spirits conglomerate now known as Diageo in 1997, Aberfeldy remains the largest malt whisky component of Dewar’s Blended whiskies. The Aberfeldy 12 Year debuted in 1999, not long after the Diageo acquisition, and remains the foundational age statement of the core portfolio, along with a 15 Year and 18 Year. Along with the blended and age statement offerings, Aberfeldy malts are also featured in independent bottler releases.