Royal Lochnagar is a tiny distillery that sits at the foot of the Caingorm mountains just one mile from Balmoral Castle. Fed by the crystal-clear water of the Scarnock springs, and nestled close to the River Dee, it’s famed for producing a delicate, gentle expression of Highland single malt, one of plentiful fruit, freshly cut wood and light toffee notes. Interestingly it is one of the very few distilleries in Scotland that employs an open mash tun, and the miniscule production of just two small hand-filled batches each week permits longer fermentations, to protect the whisky’s smooth fruity flavour, and shorter ones to emphasise its robust nutty-spicy notes. This unique mix of long and short produces a whisky of exceptional harmony and balance.
Originally built in 1826 the distillery sadly burnt to the ground in 1841 before being rebuilt in 1845. It was in 1848, during a visit to Balmoral, that Her Majesty Queen Victoria visits the distillery, tastes the whisky of New Lochnagar and, suitably impressed, issues a Royal Warrant, allowing the distillery to add ‘Royal’ to its name – one of just three distilleries granted the honour.
Read MoreToday we are delighted to mark the 175th Anniversary of Royal Lochnagar with a 17 year old limited edition release, bottled at natural cask strength. Aged in a combination of Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso European Oak Sherry casks, this is a truly exceptional highland single malt and not to be missed. Owing to the diminutive size of the distillery’s production it is rare to see a release that is not the classic 12 year old. On the sporadic occasions that they do appear they are invariably tiny runs like this 3,000 bottle lot. They can be highly collectable. Almost half of the bottles will be available at the distillery itself, meaning that the remaining bottles will be particularly hard to find in international markets.
On the mellow, well integrated nose, fruity aromas of mango and melon mingle with woodland notes of bracken and brambles. The texture is wonderfully smooth, like fine silk lapels, the generous taste sweet yet well balanced by juicy acidity. Traces of chocolate and light coffee in the mid-palate lead into a long, dry and elegant finish. This is a once in a generation release and a truly rare and special bottling of Royal Lochnagar.