""Some of the new Scotch distilleries popping up are truly incredible, and Lochlea is one of my favourites! It was also made by the legendary John Campbell, the distiller who made the Harvey Nichols Peated Burgundy Cask Single Barrel English Whisky."- Nick Larsson-Bell, Retail Buyer of the Year 2022 Lochlea's Ploughing Edition First Crop is the highly anticipated follow-up to their Sowing, Harvest and Fallow Editions, which were released in 2022. It is the fourth and final whisky in their annual series of limited seasonal bottlings. The icy blue label reflects the bitterly cold Ayrshire weather in winter as they prepare the fields in preparation for sowing, and the cycle begins again. Ploughing Edition is a warming and smoky expression matured in ex-Islay barrels and peated quarter casks. Bottled without colouring and non-chill filtered, the recipe was carefully honed by John Campbell, the ex-Laphroaig Distiller Manager and therefore an extremely safe pair of hands. Lochlea's new make spirit bursts with orchard fruit and cereal character, so there's lots of apple pie, pear drop, oatcake, malted milk biscuit and dry hay notes. However, those peaty barrels have layered in a gentle Islay-like smoke, and it seems to heighten the nuttiness, drawing out Brazil nut, smoked almonds and salted macadamia. This dram is the perfect way to thaw out over the colder months and whole new take on Lochlea. Lochlea was a livestock farm when it was acquired in 2006. The piggery became the distillery, the cattle sheds were turned into bonded warehouses and the pasture was converted to barley fields. It's a site rich in history, as the celebrated Scottish poet Robert Burns lived at Lochlea Farm between 1777 and 1784, no doubt toiling over the same soil that this fiercely independent family-owned distillery now does. As Rabbie famously wrote,"Freedom an'whisky gang thegither."So, raise a dram to a new free spirit from Scotland.£8.57 per 100.00ml