Miller Crawford takes us to one of the warehouses (number 3, if memory serves). There, he explains how Arran, now known as Lochranza, ran out of warehouse space to mature their whisky. The landlord around the distillery wanted more money for the land than the company was prepared to pay, so they looked elsewhere on the island. Land at Lagg was cheaper, and they made plans to build warehouses there. The local community understandably asked what was in it for them, not too thrilled at the prospect of being but a passage point for lorries ferrying spirit to and from. Isle of Arran Distillers, the owners of Arran/Lochranza distillery, decided to build a small boutique distillery that would make limited quantities of liquid, perhaps with a small visitor centre, which would increase footfall in the area and generate revenue. "A few years on, we ended up with this £17,000,000 behemoth here..."
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| The last remaining casks of peated spirit distilled at Lochranza |
Crawford then notes that with Lagg's production being housed here, Lochranza did not have as much additional warehouse space after all, and are quickly running out again. He adds that the buildings are well separated, with warehouses a, b, c for Lagg, and x, y, z for Lochranza. Different accounts, stock sheets and all.
We try four drams.
Lagg New Make (63.5%, OB, b. ca. 2025): I take no note and will not be offered a driver's dram. It is a decent new make, nothing more. 5/10
Lagg Kilmory Edition (46%, OB, ex-Bourbon Barrel, b. ca. 2025): nose: well, it has a lot of sponge-y peat. Marshland, bogs, stagnant water, mosses, algae. At some point, that becomes a little more medicinal and the emphasis falls on bandages and faded gauze, imbibed with ether. It has a mineral side too, that reminds of dry white wine spilled on rocks in the hills. Those rocks then shake hands with mossy peat, and the gig starts again. Scratch that! It is not stagnant water so much as it is perfume-y and floral, now, which complements the peat in an original way. For some reason, the second nose shouts 'Calvados' at me, despite smelling nothing like it. It is instead firmly mineral, with uncut marble, granite or gneiss. Mouth: fresh, medium-dry white wine. Chewing reveals a dose of sugar and a crushing wave of ash. To say those two are balanced would be a lie, yet it is interesting what that sweetness manages to do to an ashy profile that could otherwise be overwhelming. A little further, we have tincture of iodine spilled onto earth, and merbromin. The second sip presents smoked citrus (likely pomelo) served on a slate -- a slate that becomes the centrepiece of this palate, over time. It remains fiery in the back, and peddles enough smoke to gently fill the mouth. Finish: bread toasted to char, then dipped into a hot beverage. It hardly tastes of coffee or chocolate, though. Charred bits develop in vase water, then come out of the water to dish out a burnt, earthy bitterness. It really is charred toast and burnt-hazel gratings splashed with one liquid or another. The second gulp is hotter, yet also more-clearly centred on stagnant water and particles floating in a vase. In a way, this is like a stronger heated version of the whiskey from Tyrone. Good. 7/10 (I finally try this on 15/08/2025)
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| Our host |
Lagg Corriecravie Edition (55%, OB, Sherry Cask Finish, b. ca. 2025): nose: a blend of prune juice, coffee and booze, this progresses towards cardboard. Shaking the glass wakes up the prunes and stirs up (Brazil-)nut paste. Deeper nosing confirms the coffee, even if, as one reaches the limits of one's lungs' capacity, hot coffee turns away and leave the stage to eau-de-vie (berry or currant, it is too fleeting to be sure). After a while, smoked earth appears, lignite (which conjures up images of a Bagger 288), then dried bunches of flowers and smoked cherry peels. Why one would peel cherries is a question tOMoH had never asked himself thus far. The second nose is a little earthier and bitterer, and we now detect chicory infusion, rather than coffee, or braised endives that are slightly caramelised. Mouth: Oloroso, obviously. Dried dates, dry earth, flower pots devoid of flowers in a greenhouse are soon followed by fig-laced chocolate spread, pressed currants the juice of which is then poured into coffee, and Sherry. This is really earthy without being brutally bitter. We have chicory granules, but also dates and prunes. The second sip is still earthy and sweet. Following the second nose, it is tempting to taste braised endives rightly caramelised, but who knows if it is the mind playing tricks? Finish: the trip continues, with more earthy-sweet notes imparted by the Oloroso maturation: dates, prunes, currants, potting soil, coffee grounds still wet... One would struggle to see much peat at play in this one, but, if looking with intent, one may detect a pinch of ash sprinkled onto coffee, barrista style, and the smoke from roasting the coffee beans. The death is sweet again, like a dispenser of cane sugar for the coffee. This shows unrefined brown sugar with the second gulp, and keeps a soft, earthy bitterness. Maybe there is a smoked-galangal infusion too? Also good. 7/10 (I finally try this on 15/08/2025)
Lagg (59.1%, OB Exclusive Bottling for Lagg Distillery, Finished in ex-Tequila Casks): we had this earlier today. Notes here.
JS and I straggle a little for pictures, and see a hare when we come out of the warehouse.
I ask for driver's drams, which Miller offered at the start. He ends up making six sets of them. We chat with two couples of Ozzies who just rocked up and blagged tickets to the tour, unaware, until the tour started, that there is a festival going on. To think that many did not manage to obtain tickets for some of the events...
Out of nowhere appears MR. We exchange a few words and make loose plans for the next few days.
That is when, from the corner of my eye, I catch the Ozzies leaving with my samples.
tOMoH: "You were nice, so far, but if you make away with my samples, I'm going to like you a lot less!"
They ask me which one I am after and seem surprised and disappointed when I say all of them, since I have not got any yet. Lack of etiquette, eh?
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