Lochlea Harvest Edition First Crop

Lochlea sits on the Ayrshire farm where Robert Burns once worked the land, and the distillery grows its own barley in the same fields. That farm-to-glass idea runs right through the Harvest Edition, a seasonal release built around the year's cycle. First Crop is the second in that series, and it leans into the fruit of a young Lowland spirit rather than pretending to be older than it is.

The distillery is young too, only up and running since 2018, so there are no decades of maturation here and none are claimed. What you get instead is bright, clean spirit given real character by a clever mix of casks: ex-Port, ex-oloroso sherry and ex-bourbon, married together. Bottled at 46%, non-chill-filtered and free of added colour, with just 9,000 bottles made.

The nose is inviting, all stewed apples, pear drops and oat biscuits. The palate is where the cask mix earns its keep: ripe strawberries and violets, toasted marshmallow, freshly cut grass and a sweet cereal note that nods back to the barley in the field. It is soft, approachable and genuinely charming, the kind of dram that makes a case for young Lowland whisky. Water is hardly needed at this strength; a small drop lifts the fruit if you like.

An easy pour for a Sunday afternoon, or an introduction to a distillery worth following.

How to Serve

Neat in a Glencairn shows it off well. It takes a touch of water gracefully, though it does not demand it.

Where to Drink It

Scarfes Bar at the Rosewood, relaxed and comfortable. Black Rock in Shoreditch, for a knowledgeable steer on new distilleries. Boisdale, with the afternoon ahead of you.

Food Pairings

Lovely with a warm fruit scone and clotted cream, or a plate of shortbread.