- Meet the Maker
Meet The Maker: Michael Henry, Loch Lomond Distillery
If you’ve ever been to Scotland, you’ll know it’s a country renowned for a few things: its breathtaking, so-beautiful-it’s-almost-not-real landscape; haggis and bagpipes; and whisky.
Vintage Cellars is giving you a chance to experience it all, from the iconic St Andrews Golf Course to Loch Lomond Distillery, in a trip that seriously is once in a lifetime.
Valued at over $18,000, the trip includes flights for you and a friend from any capital city in Australia to Scotland, where eight nights of accommodation are covered so you can explore all the country has to offer. Spoiler: it’s a lot. A lunch at St Andrews Golf Course overlooking the sweeping greens, but the jewel in this trip’s crown has to be an exclusive VIP experience at the historic Loch Lomond Distillery in Scotland’s south.
There has been distilling on the shores of Loch Lomond for over 200 years and the distillery is situated on a striking lake in Scotland’s southern highlands. Red deer roam freely through oak woodlands, and the landscape is a combination of rolling hills, a pristine lake and craggy mountains. Needless to say, it’s pretty spectacular.
Though you might’ve had Scottish whisky before, Loch Lomond’s approach to the spirit is a little different. Where some distilleries might adhere to rigid conventions, Loch Lomond likes to play with tradition. Priding itself on its capabilities to develop whiskies with unique flavour profiles, Loch Lomond Distillery leaves the creativity to its Master Blender, Michael Henry. With a background in chemistry and biology, Henry started at Loch Lomond in an operational capacity, eventually finding his way into blending and assuming the role of Master Blender in 2014. “We have an impressive distilling capability and a vast potential for creating unique flavour profiles. That’s what truly sets Loch Lomond apart, and it’s what keeps me excited about our work,” explains Henry.
What separates Loch Lomond from other whisky distilleries in Scotland (apart from its uniquely non-traditional approach to a rather traditional spirit) is the way its unique location finds its way into the whiskies, from the fresh and fruitiness of Loch Lomond’s 12 Year Old to the signature soft smoke and honey notes present in every blend. “Loch Lomond 12 Year Old Perfectly Balanced would have to be my favourite, as it’s the most representative of the distillery and is the best example of our signature distillery style,” says Henry. “It has a real fruit character, so lots of apple, pears and lemon citrus which comes from the combination of our fermentation process and our unique straight neck pot stills. Then you get a honey sweetness which comes from the American oak our spirit has matured in, and lastly, it has a touch of soft smoke in the finish which ties it all together.” Best enjoyed neat or you can zest it up with a Scotch Highball with lemon ice.
The best part? You’ll have a local guide and expert in Henry there to guide you. “I love introducing new friends to the world of whisky.”
To go into the draw to win this all-inclusive, ultra extravagant trip to Scotland, all you have to do is buy a product from one of the participating brands and scan your VC Club Card in-store or online. For everything else you need to know, visit vintagecellars.com.au.
- Meet the Maker
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