Lochlea adds Stout Cask Finish to limited editions with Overtone collaboration

Award-winning farm-to-cask distillery Lochlea in Ayrshire has revealed its first-ever single malt whisky matured in stout beer casks: Lochlea Stout Cask Finish.

The UK-exclusive limited edition release is a culmination of various cask experiments with Glasgow-based craft brewery Overtone, renowned for its range of seasonal beers inspired by the culture of music and different musical genres.

Lochlea Stout Cask Finish started life the same as Lochlea’s signature whisky - Our Barley - matured in a combination of ex-bourbon, STR and oloroso sherry casks. The spirit was then placed into casks that had previously been loaned to Overtone Brewery to age their stout in a for a few months. The casks – originally from Lochlea before going to Overtone – were delivered back to the distillery, deliciously seasoned with the brewery’s distinctive rich stout beer – perfect for finishing Lochlea’s floral, fruity Lowland spirit.

The final dram reveals the influence from the stout through a rich nose with hints of all butter shortbread, tropical fruit and macadamia nuts, evolving into sweet toffee notes and a delicious toasted barley flavour on the palate. The spirit finishes with a long moreish fruit and cereal flavour.

Non-chill filtered and bottled at 52% ABV, Stout Cask Finish will be available in select retailers across the UK this winter, highlighting the innovative distillery’s creative local partnerships with likeminded independent creative producers*.

Lochlea’s Trade Sales Manager Emma Kirk said: “One of the benefits of Lochlea’s position as an independent distillery is our ability to be experimental and collaborate with other like-minded brands. When we discovered Overtone - one of Glasgow’s best craft breweries - were on the hunt for whisky casks to mature their first ever double mash stout in, we could not turn the opportunity down. Lochlea gifted the brewery the cask make up of our core expression, Our Barley. On return, our production team filled each stout seasoned cask with ‘Our Barley’, for a year. Our  distillery team have chosen three casks out of the six; the result is this delicious first stout cask finish ever to be released by us that we are really proud of.”

The team at Overtone said: “It’s been a pleasure to have this ongoing yearly side project with a local distillery that’s consistently pushing boundaries and doing incredible things. Our collaboration begins with brewing a rich, robust stout, full of roasty goodness, which is then aged in their freshly emptied casks. After about 8 months, the barrels are emptied and refilled with their whisky, creating a fascinating blend of flavours. I’m excited to see how this partnership evolves in the years to come, and I’m sure craft enthusiasts will enjoy the unique character it brings. We truly value this relationship and look forward to what we can achieve together.”

Lochlea Stout Cask Finish will be available via specialist retailers when it launches on 3rd December, RRP: £59.99.

*Lochlea has previously partnered with other local producers, including Blackthorn Salt in Ayr.