When you look at the Lochlea brand, there is a lot to like. The prospect of a single estate, family-owned distillery with strong links to Scotland’s national bard, Robert Burns, is a marketer’s dream. In fact, the only apparent downside of this new, Ayrshire based distillery is that there is no visitors’ centre!

Part of the small generation of 21^st Century Scottish distilleries, Lochlea filled its first cask in 2018. Their first release followed in 2022, with seasonal releases alongside the core Our Barley. These seasonal releases come at a rate of four a year, in editions named Sowing, Harvest, Fallow, and Ploughing, testament to the distillery’s place as part of a working farm. I’ve yet to get my hands on one these seasonal releases but have finally had the opportunity to try the Our Barley.

As the name suggests, Our Barley is made from grain grown at Lochlea. The distillery attributes this as the inspiration behind the dram, and it’s evident as a motif across the elegant packaging. This features both an ear of the crop as a logo, but also a herringbone design across both the box and bottle. The effect is excellent: this is effective modern branding. The Burns connection is hinted at on the packaging as well; with such a famous former farmworker (Burns worked at Lochlea between 1777 and 1784), this is hardly surprising. So, after a positive first impression, we move on to the spirit itself.

Lochlea Our Barley

Lowland Single Malt Whisky

46% ABV, matured in first fill bourbon barrels, Oloroso sherry butts, and STR barriques

No age statement

Non-chill-filtered; no added colouring

£41.20 (Master of Malt)

Nose: A delightful medley of fruits, with pear, apple, honeydew melon, and lemon. There is blossom and spice as well, with vanilla and a hint of freshly sliced green chilli, accompanied by a little honey.

Palate: Malty and fruity. There’s a cereal and shortbread foundation, accompanied by almond, honey, golden syrup and vanilla, as well as pear, strawberry, and zesty lemon. There are traces of sultana and oak, possibly from the sherry and STR casks. This is enveloped by a gentle warmth, bringing white pepper, cinnamon, and a little fresh green chilli.

Finish: A medium finish, with fading vanilla, toasted oak, and biscuit notes.

Opinion: Lochlea’s Our Barley strikes a great balance between lightness and complexity. It’s the kind of whisky that could fuel an entire evening on its own, interesting enough to warrant a thorough examination – which is why I keep finding myself pouring out just one more dram. Although it’s a relatively young spirit, it has a surprising smoothness. With the inaugural Our Barley having been released in 2022, we can assume that the dram continues to contain mostly four-year-old spirit; that this is devoid of any real harshness is really quite impressive.

It’s currently priced at just a touch over £40, a point at which it compares favourably to most of its competitors. This is also a price which doesn’t leave you feeling too guilty when you realise just how much of the bottle you’ve had in a single sitting. All in all, it’s a very friendly dram, worth considering as a staple on your whisky shelf.

7/10