Loch Lomond distillery

Loch Lomond Distillery stands beside the River Leven in Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire, a short distance from the southern shore of Loch Lomond. The site traces its origins to 1814, when an earlier distillery operated near Tarbet. The present business was founded in 1964 by the former owners of the Littlemill Distillery in Bowling. Production began the following year and continued until 1984, when Glen Catrine Bonded Warehouses took over and restarted malt production in 1987. Grain whisky production started in 1993, making Loch Lomond the only distillery in Scotland to produce both grain and malt whisky at the same time. The distillery’s equipment includes three sets of stills, including unusual pot stills with trays in their necks. These trays increase contact with cooling vapour, allowing the stills to reach up to 90% ABV compared with the usual 70%. The design captures and emphasises different flavour notes across the range of strengths. In 2014 the business was acquired by a management buy-in led by CEO Colin Matthews and Exponent, and in 2019 it passed to Hillhouse Capital under another buyout led by Matthews. Visitors find a working distillery with gleaming stills and the aroma of new make spirit. The range includes single malts aged from 12 to 30 years, single grain whiskies, and blended expressions. The site also houses a large bottling plant at Glen Catrine that produces more than sixty-five million bottles each year. Loch Lomond whiskies sponsor The Open, the Pro14 rugby competition and Wigan Warriors, linking the distillery to golf and rugby league.