Loch Lomond Whiskies, noted by the brand as being the Official Spirit of The Open golf tournament, has announced two new limited edition single malts to celebrate The 149th Open at Royal St George’s, set to take place this July.
Crafted by master blender Michael Henry, “Open Course Collection Royal St George’s 2021” and “The Open Special Edition 2021” celebrate Loch Lomond Whiskies’ first visit to England as the Official Spirit of The Open.
The Loch Lomond Open Course Collection 2021 was created using specially commissioned English Virgin Oak casks, to celebrate Loch Lomond Whiskies’ first visit to Royal St George’s famous links in partnership with Open Champion, Darren Clarke, Loch Lomond Whiskies ambassador. Bottled non-chill filtered, the 20-year-old expression bears his signature on the carton.
With an ABV of 50.2%, the drink has a rich mouthfeel and showcases complex flavors beginning with spiced apple, elderflower and vanilla on the nose, leading into a caramel sweetness, green apple and honeydew melon, before mellowing into toasted oak and spiced cloves with a lingering lime, cumin and ginger finish, according to official tasting notes.
The Open Special Edition 2021, meanwhile, was created in partnership with European Tour Legend and Loch Lomond Whiskies’ ambassador Colin Montgomerie. It uses a combination of spirits from both Loch Lomond Whiskies’ straight neck and traditional pot stills, and matured in three types of American oak casks before Henry married the casks together and finished it off in Virgin American oak.
Bottled at 46% and non-chill filtered, caramel and toffee, poached pear, and red apple with fresh vanilla can be found on the nose before leading into a taste of chewy toffee with green apple, apricot jam and lemon citrus and a finish of toasted oak with a gentle smokiness then warming oak spice of cinnamon and clove, official tasting notes state.
“We are very proud of our partnership with The Open, which has allowed us to showcase the very best of the Loch Lomond Whiskies range among golf and sport fans across the world,”CEO of Loch Lomond Group said in a prepared statement. “Both our Special Edition and Open Course Collection expressions are very special limited editions and are emblematic of the true diversity and distilling expertise we have at our Loch Lomond Distillery, and mark Loch Lomond Whiskies’ first trip to Royal St George’s as the Official Spirit of The Open perfectly.”
The 149th Open was originally scheduled to take place in 2020 but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The championship will be played at Royal St George’s this July, with The 150th Open at St Andrews taking place in 2022.
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The Loch Lomond Open Course Collection 2021 retails at £160 (around $220 USD) with Loch Lomond Open Special Edition 2021 retailing at £40 (around $55 USD). Both bottlings are available on the Loch Lomond website, as well as through select retailers.
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