Loch Lomond Distillery: History, Owner and Visitor Guide
Updated: 2 days ago
Loch Lomond is a Highland distillery at Alexandria in Dunbartonshire that makes both malt and grain whisky on one site. It is known for its unusual stills and for producing many different styles of spirit, bottled as Loch Lomond, Inchmurrin, Inchmoan, Croftengea and other single malts. It is owned by the Loch Lomond Group.
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Loch Lomond at a glance
Distillery fact | Verified detail |
|---|---|
Location / region | Highland, Scotland |
Owner / producer | Loch Lomond Group |
History | Modern distillery established in the 1960s. |
Style | Single malt Scotch whisky |
Bottles documented | Loch Lomond Original, Loch Lomond 12 Year Old, Inchmurrin 12 Year Old |
Before visiting | Check current public access, tour availability and opening hours directly with the producer. |
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Loch Lomond at a glance
Location: Bowie Road, Lomond Industrial Estate, Alexandria, G83 0TL
Region: Highland
Founded: 1966 (Whiskypedia). The Single Cask says it is usually dated to 1964 or 1965
Owner: Loch Lomond Distillers, part of Loch Lomond Group (Exponent from 2014, Hillhouse Capital from 2019 according to The Single Cask)
Stills: eleven, eight pot and three column (Whiskypedia)
Capacity: about 5 million litres of malt and 20 million litres of grain spirit (Whiskypedia)
Water: borehole
Visitor access: the Alexandria site is not open to the public
The story of Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond was built in the mid 1960s by Duncan Thomas, the American owner of Littlemill, with the Chicago firm Barton Brands. Barton took full control in 1971 and closed the distillery in 1984. Inver House bought it in 1985 and sold it to Glen Catrine Bonded Warehouse in 1986, which also bought Glen Scotia in 1994.
Under Glen Catrine it became one of the most flexible distilleries in Scotland. A second pair of straight neck stills arrived in 1990, column stills for grain whisky in 1993, swan neck stills in 1998 and a continuous still for a malted barley grain whisky in 2007. A fire in 1997 destroyed around 300,000 litres of whisky (Whiskypedia). More stills and washbacks were added in 2016.
Glen Catrine was sold in 2014 to the private equity firm Exponent, and the distilling business became the Loch Lomond Group. The Single Cask adds a 2019 secondary buyout backed by Hillhouse Capital and a 2014 management buy-in led by chief executive Colin Matthews. Confirm the current owner before publishing.
How Loch Lomond is made
The original stills have rectifying plates in their necks, known as Lomond stills, and can produce different flavour streams. Whiskypedia says the distillery can make eleven different distillates, not counting spirit from Glen Scotia.
Malt: unpeated for 47 weeks a year, with runs at 25ppm for two weeks and 50ppm for three
Mashing: lauter mash tun, about 9.5 tonnes of grist
Fermentation: 21 stainless steel washbacks, minimum 70 hours for malt and 60 hours for grain
Distillation: 8 pot stills and 3 column stills, with various shapes
New make: 65 to 85% ABV for malt and 94.2% for grain
Yeast: various, including wine yeasts used to vary flavour
The Loch Lomond range
Whiskypedia lists these brands made at the distillery: Craiglodge, Croftengea, Glen Douglas, Glengarry, Inchfad, Inchmoan, Inchmurrin and Old Rhosdhu. Only some are still bottled, and the High Commissioner blend also comes from here. The group's own shop lists:
Loch Lomond Original Single Malt
Loch Lomond 12 Year Old
Loch Lomond 18 Year Old
Loch Lomond Inchmurrin 12 Year Old
Loch Lomond Inchmoan 12 Year Old
Victoriana and Double Cask expressions
The group site also describes Loch Lomond as the Most Awarded Distillery at the SFWSC 2023. Prices and stock change, so check the shop.
Visiting
Whiskypedia and The Single Cask both say the Alexandria distillery is not open to the public. The group website introduces Luss Distillery, a separate new distillery and visitor experience in the village of Luss on the banks of Loch Lomond, home of Ben Lomond Gin and Loch Lomond Whiskies. Check its visit details with the group.
Loch Lomond FAQs
Who owns Loch Lomond distillery?
Loch Lomond Distillers, part of the Loch Lomond Group.
Why does Loch Lomond make so many different whiskies?
It runs eleven stills of different designs and varies its peating levels, so the same site makes many distillates.
Does Loch Lomond make grain whisky?
Yes. Column stills installed in 1993 make grain whisky on site, so it produces both malt and grain.
Is Loch Lomond peated?
Mostly not. Peated runs are made for a few weeks each year, and Croftengea is a heavily peated style.
Can you visit Loch Lomond distillery?
The Alexandria distillery is not open to the public.
What makes Loch Lomond distinctive?
Multiple still types allow production of varied malt and grain whisky
Loch Lomond bottle and expression comparison
Bottle / expression | Age | ABV | Cask maturation / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Loch Lomond Original | NAS / varies | Check label | Multiple still types allow production of varied malt and grain whisky |
Loch Lomond 12 Year Old | 12 years | Check label | Multiple still types allow production of varied malt and grain whisky |
Inchmurrin 12 Year Old | 12 years | Check label | Multiple still types allow production of varied malt and grain whisky |
Bottle ranges, casks and strengths change. The table lists documented releases, not guaranteed current stock; check the producer's labels and latest information.
Loch Lomond whisky bottle (2026 photograph) bottle photograph
An authentic Loch Lomond branded whisky bottle photographed in March 2026. The specific expression has not been independently confirmed, so this image does not represent any named bottle in the core range.
More distilleries in Scotland
Explore other whisky producers in Scotland.
Frequently asked questions about Loch Lomond
Who owns Loch Lomond distillery?
Loch Lomond Distillers, part of the Loch Lomond Group.
Why does Loch Lomond make so many different whiskies?
It runs eleven stills of different designs and varies its peating levels, so the same site makes many distillates.
Does Loch Lomond make grain whisky?
Yes. Column stills installed in 1993 make grain whisky on site, so it produces both malt and grain.
Is Loch Lomond peated?
Mostly not. Peated runs are made for a few weeks each year, and Croftengea is a heavily peated style.
Can you visit Loch Lomond distillery?
The Alexandria distillery is not open to the public.
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Sources, image credits and official links
Cover image: Wikimedia Commons.
Original research, references and historical qualifications have been retained in this article. Visitor details and expression availability are date-sensitive.
Photograph by Toxophilus, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph is reproduced without changes.
About the author
 | Filip Janczak Storyteller, drinker and explorer of all things whisky. Read more about the person behind Whisky Clan and explore additional reviews and distillery guides. |
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