Whisky Exchange Announces Whisky of the Year
The renowned online Spirits retailer The Whisky Exchange has announced the winner of the 2024 Whisky of the Year Award. The company chose Loch Lomond 18-Year-Old as its top whisky for this season. The company selects the top whisky and other beverages each year
According to the Whisky Exchange, this year’s winner had a tough competition. The single malt whisky Loch Lomond 18 Year Old outperformed a shortlist of the Glenglassaugh Sandend (runner-up), Glenallachie 15 Year Old (third place), Jura 18 Year Old, Balblair 15 Year Old, and Arran Sherry Cask.
Loch Lomond Wins Whisky of the Year Award
One of the main qualification criteria is that nominees for the tasting had to be under £90 (US$114) RRP and available for purchase commercially.
Michael Henry, master distiller at Loch Lomond, commented: “It’s a real honor to be presented with this award from The Whisky Exchange, especially knowing that the judging panel was made up of some of the whisky industry’s finest ambassadors.”
This whisky was aged in three different American oak barrels for at least 18 years. This gives it a fruity and full-bodied profile. Its aromas include green apple, grapefruit, and honeysuckle, and its flavor is baked apples, toffee, tobacco leaves, and gooseberries.
Henry added: “The 18-year-old is a great example of our distillery style and our philosophy of flavor creation through distillation. Using spirit from both our straight neck pot stills and swan neck pot stills, capturing different elements of fruit character before maturation in American oak, giving it a wonderful caramelized and baked apple character, full of sweetness intertwined with a hint of smoke.”
Dawn Davies MW, head buyer at The Whisky Exchange, said: “I always love when a whisky wins that people are genuinely surprised by. The reason we started this award was to bring to the forefront some great whiskies that people may have overlooked in the past.
“This year was an especially tough line-up with all six deserving of the crown, so a massive congratulations to Loch Lomond and a whisky that is a delight to drink and great value for money.”