It was black, it was daring, and it baffled the trade. For a short while within the Nineties, Loch Dhu, Gaelic for “Black Lake”, was Scotland’s most divisive single malt. Described as a gimmick by some and a cult traditional by others, its story is as darkish because the whisky itself.
A Daring Launch from the Moray Firth
Loch Dhu was first launched in 1995 by United Distillers, the precursor to right this moment’s Diageo. It was distilled on the Mannochmore Distillery in Speyside, a website that had traditionally produced mild, floral whisky primarily for blends.
Mannochmore itself was one thing of a sleeper distillery. In-built 1971, it had a modest repute and little presence within the single malt market. Loch Dhu modified that just about in a single day.
Marketed as “The Black Whisky,” Loch Dhu stood out not only for its coloration, however for its closely charred oak affect and near-opaque look. Bottled at 40% ABV, it was formally launched as a 10-year-old expression and got here in glossy black packaging that emphasised its dramatic coloration.
How Did It Get So Darkish?
The darkness wasn’t solely pure.
Loch Dhu owed a lot of its coloration to in depth use of closely charred American oak casks, together with a beneficiant dose of spirit caramel (E150a) for added influence. The end result was a whisky so darkish it was nearly black within the glass, which was unprecedented for a scotch on the time.
Whereas some whiskies use caramel coloring for consistency, Loch Dhu leaned into it as a defining trait. The colour turned its identification, but in addition a part of its downfall.
A Marmite Malt
Critics didn’t know what to make of it. Tasting notes ranged from “wealthy and syrupy” to “overly bitter” and even “burnt rubber.” Taste-wise, it was nothing like its Speyside neighbours. The place others supplied orchard fruit and honey, Loch Dhu was smoky, ashy, and medicinal.
- Some described notes of liquorice, toffee, smoke, and molasses.
- Others in contrast it to cough syrup, engine oil, or burnt sugar.
It shortly gained a love-it-or-hate-it repute. Gross sales have been modest at greatest, and the whisky world largely shrugged.
Discontinued… However Not Forgotten
By 1999, simply 4 years after launch, Loch Dhu was discontinued. Mannochmore resumed its typical mild model, later releasing the extra standard Flora & Fauna 12-Yr-Outdated below Diageo’s standardised vary.
However whereas Loch Dhu vanished from cabinets, it didn’t disappear from reminiscence. As an alternative, it started to develop a cult following.
Bottles started to reappear on on-line boards and at whisky exhibits, typically accompanied by incredulous opinions or nostalgic tales from drinkers who tried it “again within the day.” Costs on the secondary market crept upwards, extra from curiosity than acclaim.
At the moment, an unopened bottle can fetch $300–$600, with collectors intrigued by its oddball legacy.
The Legacy of Loch Dhu
Loch Dhu’s fame, or infamy, has endured far longer than its manufacturing run.
In some ways, it was forward of its time. At the moment’s whisky market is much extra accepting of experimentation: peated Speysiders, crimson wine casks, closely charred barrels, even blackened finishes from manufacturers like Ardbeg or Bruichladdich. In 1995, Loch Dhu stood nearly alone in that area.
Its failure commercially additionally formed how manufacturers approached threat in whisky design. It served as a cautionary story about how far you may push an idea earlier than the market pushes again.
But for all its faults, Loch Dhu is fondly remembered by a distinct segment crowd who admire it not for being nice, however for daring to be completely different.
That title has adopted Loch Dhu for many years, typically unfairly. Many trendy drinkers now revisit the whisky with extra open minds, and higher context.
And possibly that’s one of the simplest ways to consider it: not a failure, however a curiosity. An experiment in branding, in manufacturing, in taste, that attempted one thing new and walked away with cult standing as a substitute of economic success.
Have you ever tried Loch Dhu? Would you? Tell us your ideas on the whisky that refuses to be forgotten.
