Loch Lomond Distillers
Whisky Concerns
LOCH LOMOND DISTILLERS
Capacity:
Glen Scotia: 750.000 litres
Loch Lomond: 10.000.000 litres grain & 4.000.000 litres malt
Glen Scotia: 750.000 litres
Loch Lomond: 10.000.000 litres grain & 4.000.000 litres malt
Hillhouse buys Loch Lomond
June, 2019
Loch Lomond Hillhouse Capital Management
Hillhouse Capital Management, a global investment firm which describes itself as focusing on “innovative businesses in growth industries”, has bought scotch whisky producer, the Loch Lomond Group, from Exponent Private Equity.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Since the original buyout of Loch Lomond from the Bulloch family in 2014, the company says it has invested significantly in growing its portfolio of brands, distillery and bottling infrastructure, global distribution platform, and management team. The business now generates about 70% of its revenue from more than 120 international markets, versus fewer than 10% at acquisition.
The announcement states that teaming up with Hillhouse offers a strong partner for the business to further develop its international presence, particularly in Asia where whisky has become increasingly popular in recent years, and a market where Hillhouse has deep knowledge and strong business relationships.
Hillhouse says it also brings to the partnership a strong track record of building long-term relationships with innovative consumer brands, such as Peet’s Coffee and Gimborn, in helping them expand their global presence and reputation.
Loch Lomond has a history dating back to the early 19th century and is a leading international producer of malt, blended and grain whisky.
Its key premium scotch whisky brands include Loch Lomond – ‘The Spirit of the Open’, Glen Scotia, and Littlemill, which claims to be the ‘oldest licensed distillery in Scotland’. It also produces the ‘High Commissioner’ and Loch Lomond blended scotch whiskies, as well as Glen’s vodka and Ben Lomond scottish gin.
The company’s production spans sites across Scotland. It operates its Loch Lomond malt and grain distilleries at Alexandria in Dunbartonshire, Glen Scotia distillery in Campbeltown, Argyll and has its own bottling plant in Ayrshire.
Loch Lomond CEO Colin Matthews said: “Over the past five years we are proud to have transformed The Loch Lomond Group into a premium international spirits business with a strong focus on innovation and a portfolio of award-winning brands.
“We believe now is the right time to move forward into the next stage of our growth strategy as we look to innovate further, extend our portfolio of brands and continue to expand our international presence, particularly in Asia where Hillhouse has significant experience.
“The team at Hillhouse have impressed us immensely, and we look forward to partnering with them as we embark on the next exciting stage of our journey. We share both their vision and dedication to premium consumer brands."
Hillhouse Capital partner, Wei Cao, added: “Hillhouse’s experienced operational team will work closely with Loch Lomond’s management to help it offer a premium consumer experience in international markets through channels like e-commerce and new retail.
“We believe that the strongest advantages in business are innovative and differentiated products and management teams, which is why we are so excited to help Loch Lomond realise the potential of its outstanding brands in huge new consumer markets, such as Asia.
LOCH LOMOND GROUP UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP
June 2019
An Asia-based investment firm is buying out Loch Lomond Group, which owns Glen Scotia distillery in Campbeltown as well as the Littlemill single malt brand.
Loch Lomond barrel
New owner: Loch Lomond Group’s Scotch whisky operations are now owned by Hillhouse
Hillhouse Capital Management, a global investment management firm, will acquire the Scotch whisky producer from current owner Exponent for an undisclosed sum.
The deal includes the sale of the Loch Lomond malt and grain distillery at Alexandria in Dunbartonshire, Glen Scotia distillery in Campbeltown, a bottling plant in Catrine, Ayrshire plus the remaining stocks of closed distillery Littlemill.
Colin Matthews, CEO of Loch Lomond Group, said the buyout would enable to company to grow further internationally, particularly in Asia.
He said: ‘We believe now is the right time to move forward into the next stage of our growth strategy as we look to innovate further, extend our portfolio of brands and continue to expand our international presence, particularly in Asia where Hillhouse has significant experience.’
Loch Lomond has been under the ownership of UK-based private equity management firm Exponent since 2014, when it was acquired from the Bulloch family.
Diverse portfolio: Loch Lomond Group also owns Glen Scotia distillery in Campbeltown
In the last five years Loch Lomond’s business has grown internationally, with overseas markets now representing 70% of the business, as opposed to less than 10% in 2014.
Wei Cao, partner at Hillhouse Capital, said: ‘Loch Lomond’s rich heritage in Scotch whisky gives the business a distinct advantage as they look to further build on their success across the world, especially in the increasingly discerning Asian spirits market.
‘Hillhouse’s experienced operational team will work closely with Loch Lomond’s management to help it offer a premium consumer experience in international markets through channels like e-commerce and new retail.
‘We believe that the strongest advantages in business are innovative and differentiated products and management teams, which is why we are so excited to help Loch Lomond realise the potential of its outstanding brands in huge new consumer markets, such as Asia.’
As well as the Loch Lomond, Glen Scotia and Littlemill whiskies, the group also produces the High Commissioner blend, as well as Glen’s vodka and Ben Lomond gin
Scotland: New whisky regs may force distillery changes
November, 2009
Scotland; Loch Lomond Distillery could be forced to close part of its production if the new Scotch whisky rules aren’t amended before they come in to force on November 23.
The new regulations say: “Single Malt Scotch Whisky” means a Scotch Whisky that has been distilled in one or more batches—
(a) at a single distillery; (b) from water and malted barley without the addition of any other cereals; and (c) in pot stills.”
Loch Lomond Distillery Company makes more than 20 million bottles of High Commissioner, but not in pot stills.
For the last two years the company, which is based in Alexandria near Glasgow, has been using an energy efficient single still.
A statement from the distillery said that unless consumers lobby MPs to adapt the new regulations governing what kind of stills can produce whisky, they may have to shut down some of their production process.
The distillery decided to use the single still as part of its drive to be more energy efficient. It also uses lightweight glass to reduce the amount of packaging sent to landfill and has been honoured by the Carbon Trust for 'Outstanding Achievement in Manufacturing Energy Efficiency' after installing a system which recycles heat and water used in the distilling process.
John Peterson, distilling director of Loch Lomond said: "We have a method that produces a very good malt but we are being penalised.
"We want to make the process better and save considerable amounts of energy. As it is we are preventing more than 1,400 tonnes of CO2 being released every year.
"Politicians are quick to shout about climate change and how industry has to find new ways to conserve energy and reduce carbon output but when companies like us try to do something innovate we get slapped down for it.
"We need a proper discussion on this. Our customers who enjoy good quality whisky at reasonable prices, and who want to continue doing so, need to ask their MP to object to the legislation before it's too late."
Loch Lomond Whiskies
De Loch Lomond Distillery is gevestigd in Alexandria. Dit dorpje ligt aan de oevers van Loch Lomond, het grootste meer van Schotland.
De distilleerderij beschikt over een groot aantal verschillende distilleerketels. Hierdoor is men in staat maar liefst 8 verschillende stijlen whisky te maken. Dit maakt de Loch Lomond Distillery uniek in Schotland.
Loch Lomond innovatief en onderscheidend
Van illegaal distilleren naar grote – accijnsvrije - pakhuizen in de industriële revolutie. Dit deel van Schotland heeft een cruciale rol gespeeld in de whiskygeschiedenis. Vele distilleerderijen in de omgeving sloten hun deuren, maar Loch Lomond bleef over.
Littlemill
De geschiedenis van Loch Lomond gaat terug tot 1814, maar de huidige distilleerderij werd – door de toenmalige eigenaren van Littlemill – gebouwd in 1965.
Unieke stills
Loch Lomond is sindsdien uitgegroeid tot één van de meest innovatieve en grootste distilleerderijen van Schotland. De distilleerderij beschikt bijvoorbeeld over een uniek aantal distilleerketels:
- Straight-neck stills 3x
- Traditional swan-neck stills 1x
- Continuous Coffey malt still 1x
- Continuous Coffey grain stills 2x
Loch Lomond stills
De Staight-neck stills – ook wel Loch Lomond stills genoemd – hebben een extra lange nek en zijn momenteel alleen bij de Loch Lomond Distillery in gebruik.
8 verschillende stijlen whisky
Door het gebruik van geturfde en ongeturfde gerst en verschillende gistsoorten in combinatie met de verschillende distilleerketels kan men bij Loch Lomond 8 verschillende stijlen whisky produceren.
Een nieuw begin voor Loch Lomond
In 2014 gooide men het roer om bij Loch Lomond. Tot dan toe produceerde de distilleerderij vooral blended whisky. Dit is nog steeds een belangrijk onderdeel, maar het accent ligt nu vooral op de productie van single malt whisky.
Met de focus op de productie van single malt whisky komen de – eerder genoemde - unieke eigenschappen van de distilleerderij goed naar voren. Loch Lomond laat zich eindelijk zien aan de wereld!
Sterke groei
En de nieuwe koers slaat aan bij de whiskyliefhebbers. Loch Lomond Whisky heeft de afgelopen vijf jaar namelijk een sterke groei doorgemaakt en behoort tot de vijf snelst groeiende single malt whiskymerken ter wereld.
Loch Lomond klaar voor de toekomst
Mede door het succes van de afgelopen jaren heeft Loch Lomond het merk in 2020 volledig vernieuwd qua verpakking en core-range.
De core-range van Loch Lomond is uitgebreid met een 14, 21 en 30 jaar oude whisky. En ook Inchmurrin en Inchmoan – de Island Collection – maakt nu deel uit van de Loch Lomond-range.
Smaakprofielen en whiskystijlen
Dankzij duidelijke proefnotities op het etiket kan de consument makkelijk door het assortiment navigeren en zo eenvoudig kennis maken met de verschillende smaakprofielen en whiskystijlen die de distilleerderij de whiskyliefhebber kan bieden.
3 stijlen Loch Lomond Single Malt 12 Years Old
De drie 12 jaar oude whisky’s vormen het hart van het assortiment. Daarnaast demonstreert Loch Lomond het vermogen om een reeks whisky’s met een totaal verschillend smaakprofiel te creëren; van de lichte en fruitige Inchmurrin tot de zwaar geturfde Inchmoan, met daartussen de Loch Lomond 12 YO.
Meer Loch Lomond
De distilleerderij ligt ingeklemd tussen de rivier Leven en de spoorlijn. Het is een industrieel ogend terrein met grote pakhuizen en hoog opgestapelde whiskyvaten zo ver het oog reikt.
Het terrein werd in 2014 helemaal opgeknapt. Van de buitenkant van de gebouwen zal geen enkel whiskyhart sneller gaan kloppen. Eenmaal binnen zal dat anders zijn. Hier staan de verschillende distilleerketels van Loch Lomond. Deze zijn indrukwekkend om te zien.
Loch Lomond Cooperage
Ook de bij de distilleerderij behorende kuiperij is indrukwekkend. Per jaar worden er in de Loch Lomond Cooperage zo’n 20.000 vaten gemaakt en herstelt.
De ‘barrel makers’ oftewel ‘coopers’ hebben een intens en zwaar beroep en krijgen een target opgelegd om een bepaald aantal vaten per week te maken c.q. te herstellen. Een vakmanschap dat niet voor iedereen is weggelegd.
De Loch Lomond Distillery is één van de vier distilleerderijen in Schotland waar een cooperage op locatie is gevestigd.
Importeur Nederland
De Monnik Dranken is officiële Nederlandse importeur van Loch Lomond Whiskies dat onderdeel is van de Loch Lomond Group. Hiertoe behoren – naast Loch Lomond Whiskies – ook Glen Scotia uit de roemruchte whiskyregio Campbeltown, Glen’s Vodka en Ben Lomond Gin.
Arjan Hartkamp – Sales Ambassador
Heeft u vragen over de merken van Loch Lomond Group? Dan kunt u altijd contact opnemen met onze sales ambassador Arjan Hartkamp. Arjan werkt exclusief voor de merken van Loch Lomond Whisky, Glen Scotia Whisky, Littlemill Whisky en Ben Lomond Gin. Hij komt graag bij u langs in de winkel of in uw horecazaak voor vrijblijvend advies of vraag eens naar de mogelijkheden voor het houden van een (online) proeverij!