Loch Lomond Whiskies pay tribute to 149th Open
Adding a new special edition to its range, the independent distiller created The Loch Lomond 12YO The Open Special Edition 2020 to celebrate the Championship, which will be postponed until 2021
Loch Lomond Whiskies, the Official Spirit of The Open, has unveiled a new special edition single malt to mark the Championship that was due to take place in July this year.
The Loch Lomond 12-Year-Old The Open Special Edition 2020 was created to celebrate The 149th Open at Royal St George’s in Kent, which has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is the first time since WWII that the Championship will not be played.
The special edition, crafted by master blender, Michael Henry, showcases Loch Lomond’s unique straight neck pot still and is created from a Chardonnay wine yeast. This fermentation process is rarely used in whisky distilling, as it requires greater time to achieve the final liquid.
Full of lively flavor, hints of grapefruit and vanilla syrup are balanced with cinnamon and lime juice.
Priced at £50 RRP with an ABV of 46%, 3,000 limited-edition bottles will be released globally in early July, allowing both whisky and golf fans the opportunity to experience The Open in spirit from their homes.
Loch Lomond Whiskies’ became The Official Spirit of The Open in 2018. Although the event will not take place as planned in 2020, Loch Lomond’s Open Special Edition pays tribute to golf’s original championship. The 149th Open will now be played at Royal St George’s in July 2021, with The 150th Open at St Andrews moving to 2022.
“Of course, we, like thousands of golf enthusiasts around the globe, were disappointed to learn of the cancellation of The Open this year, but given the current circumstances, it’s absolutely the right decision.
Our Loch Lomond 12-Year-Old The Open Special Edition 2020 is a very special limited edition, showcasing Loch Lomond’s style beautifully and will allow thousands of golf and whisky fans around the world to raise a dram during these difficult, unprecedented times.
We are very proud of our partnership with The Open, allowing us to raise awareness of the Loch Lomond Whiskies range among golf lovers all over the world. We are very much looking forward to visiting Royal St George’s for the first time as the Spirit of The Open next year,” says Colin Matthews, CEO of Loch Lomond Group.
“It has been a real pleasure crafting this limited edition to mark The 149th Open. We are one of very few distilleries currently using wine yeasts in the fermentation process, which brings a unique and vibrant flavor to the finished liquid.
As a distillery we are perfectly placed to be able to develop these rare expressions, which is ideally suited to our preference for longer fermentation times, combined with the control we have over the final character using our straight-necked stills,” adds Henry.
Based in Alexandria, Loch Lomond Whiskies agreed to a five-year partnership with The R&A, the organizers of The Open, in February 2018. Known as “The One”, with qualifying events across five continents, The Open is the most international of the major championships.
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