Loch Lomond 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, sold exclusively at Liquorland, First Choice Liquor and Vintage Cellars for $75 a bottle, has beaten whiskies selling for more than $300 at the world's most prestigious spirits competition.
The Whisky received its third consecutive Double Gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, which earns its maker a Platinum honour – one of just seven awarded across the Scotch Whisky category.
With a deep fruity character and hints of peat and smoke, the Loch Lomond 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky delivers notes of crisp green apple, ripe pear and refreshing lemon leading to a fruity, vanilla and biscuity taste.
The Platinum accolade for 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky was one of five awards given to the Scottish distillery at the competition, including Double Gold for Loch Lomond 18 Year Old Single Malt and Silver for Loch Lomond Original Single Malt, both available exclusively from Liquorland, First Choice Liquor and Vintage Cellars for $130 and $60 respectively.
Set on the shores of Loch Lomond, a natural wonder in the heart of Scotland, the Loch Lomond Distillery is one of Scotland's largest privately held distilleries and has the unique ability to self-sufficiently produce both rare and fine Single Malts that sell for more than $18,000Opens in new window, as well as blended whisky such as the Reserve Blended Scotch Whisky, at a more accessible price of $42Opens in new window.
Coles Liquor General Manager of Merchandise Brad Gorman said the awards reflected the dedication of the Loch Lomond team, as well as Coles Liquor's commitment to being Australia's most-awarded liquor retailer.
"We congratulate the team at Loch Lomond for creating this world-beating whisky at a fraction of the price of its competitors, and we're thrilled to be ranging it exclusively In Australia," he said.
"This win comes on top of more than 330 awards and medals the Coles Liquor range has collected since the start of the financial year – including 63 Gold and 12 Double Gold medals – as our sourcing team work with suppliers to bring the best of the best to our customers."
Loch Lomond Chief Marketing Officer John Grieveson said the Platinum award was a proud moment for his team.
"We are extremely proud to have received a Platinum award for Loch Lomond 12 Year Old, such a central expression in our Loch Lomond Whisky range," he said.
"It's a real testament to the skill of the team, headed up by our Master Distiller Michael Henry, who work so hard to ensure that our range consistently delivers whiskies of the very highest quality."
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is one of the world's most respected competitions for distilled liquor, with judges spending four days blind-tasting over 3,000 entries. Among the highest honours of the show is a Double Gold medal, awarded to the entries that receive a Gold medal rating by every member of the judging panel.
The platinum medals were introduced in 2019 and recognise brands that win a Double Gold or Best in Class for three consecutive years. This year only seven platinum medals were awarded across the entire Scotch category. To date only 17 platinum medals have been awarded across all categories in the competition.
To celebrate World Whisky Day on May 16, why not try a Loch Lomond 12 Year Old Lemon Pie-Ball? It's like a slice of lemon meringue pie in a glass!
Lemon Pie-Ball
- 50mL Loch Lomond 12 Year Old
- 1 teaspoon lemon curd
- 5mL lemon
- Topped with lemonade
- Highball glass
- Lemon wedge for garnish
Shake the whisky, lemon curd and lemon juice. Double strain into a highball glass with fresh cubed ice. Top with lemonade.
For those looking for a sophisticated drink with hints of citrus and sweetness, why not try a Loch Lomond 18 Year Old Elevated Eighteen?
Elevated Eighteen
- 50mL Loch Lomond 18 Year Old
- 5mL grapefruit syrup
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
- Cocktail glass
- Grapefruit zest for garnish
Prepare the grapefruit syrup by placing equal parts grapefruit peel and caster sugar into a zip lock bag and leave overnight. Add boiled water to the paste until a syrup consistency is reached.
Stir all ingredients into a mixing glass for ten seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass.
