Scottish distillery Lochlea awarded global Single Estate of the Year 2023

Lochlea Distillery has been named the global winner of Single Estate Distillery of the Year 2023 at the Icons of Whisky Awards, hosted by Whisky Magazine.

The Single Estate award is a new category that has been introduced to the Awards, celebrating distilleries who aim to carry out as much as possible on-site. Despite tough competition from all over the globe, Lochlea Distillery is the first to be awarded this title.

Independent single malt distillery Lochlea, based on Lochlea farm in South Ayrshire is under the management of renowned Production Director John Campbell. The family-run business grows and harvests their own barley, ensuring full traceability from field to bottle.

The distillery began production back in 2018, with an unwavering commitment to quality in terms of equipment, spirit, and casks, ultimately leading to a unique style of single malt Scotch whisky. Unlike typical Lowland whiskies, Lochlea produces a bold spirit full of juicy fruit and underpinned by enticing biscuit and cereal notes.

The team were presented with the award at the 2023 World Whisky Awards at The Merchant Taylor’s Hall in London on Thursday 30th March.

Neil McGeoch, Owner of Lochlea Distillery, said: “I am very pleased to receive this incredible award so early on in our journey. The team are all very passionate about everything we do here at Lochlea, from nurturing the soil and growing the barley to making, maturing, and ultimately selling our single malt whisky to many countries across the world.”

David Ferguson, Commercial Director, adds: “We have confidence that we are building something special here at Lochlea, and being recognised externally on a global stage is another proud moment for our young team.”

The company is committed to sustainability, with all by-products given a secondary use. This includes a reed-bed system for spent lees, cover crops planted each year after harvest to protect and nurture the soil, and draff fed to local cattle. Lochlea uses recycled materials throughout all areas of the business and are constantly looking for ways to improve and operate responsibly.

About Lochlea:

Lochlea launched its first whisky in January 2022, which sold out within 24 hours. In July 2022, Lochlea launched their core single malt whisky, Lochlea ‘Our Barley.’ In 2022 they also released the ‘First Crop’ of limited-edition seasonal whiskies, which reflect the farming calendar. 2023 sees the ‘Second Crop’ of limited editions available throughout the UK and 20 export markets. A full list of stockists can be found via the Lochlea website.

Rooted in Scottish history, Lochlea is the only distillery where Robert Burns actually lived and worked on the farm, from 1777-1784.

Source: Lochlea Distillery