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Murray's Notes
Lochranza sits at the north end of the Isle of Arran, in a village of the same name, beside a castle and a population of red deer. The distillery opened in 1995 — the first legal distillery on Arran since Lagg closed in 1837 — and it has spent the subsequent three decades building a reputation for unpeated, fruity single malt that tastes unmistakably of its island home.
Arran is a small island — roughly 20 miles by 10 — with a single malt that punches well above its scale. The distillery produces around 280,000 litres per year, a fraction of what Speyside giants put out, but enough to sustain a growing range of expressions and a loyal following. The spirit is unpeated, fermented in wooden washbacks, and matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and sherry casks.
In 2019, the parent company opened a second distillery on Arran — Lagg, in the south of the island, producing peated whisky. The two sites now give Arran both ends of the flavour spectrum. Lochranza handles the light, fruity, coastal end. Lagg handles the smoke. Between them, they make a compelling case for an island that once went 158 years without a single drop of legal whisky.
Lochranza uses traditional copper pot stills — one wash, one spirit — with wooden washbacks for fermentation. Water comes from the Easan Biorach burn, which runs past the distillery. The stills are relatively small, producing around 280,000 litres of alcohol per year. Fermentation is long — typically 55-60 hours — which contributes to the fruity, estery character of the new-make spirit. The distillery does not use peated barley for its Lochranza expressions (that role falls to Lagg). Maturation takes place on Arran itself, in a mix of ex-bourbon American oak and ex-sherry European oak casks, with the island's maritime climate accelerating interaction between spirit and wood.
Murray's Pick
Price guide: ~45-55
Green apple, vanilla, honey, citrus zest, a clean coastal finish
Drink it neat. The fruit and coastal character are best without dilution.
No expressions found for this distillery.
Expressions will appear here once data is imported.
Lochranza offers a range of tours including a core distillery experience (£15) and a premium tasting tour (£45). The visitor centre overlooks the production floor, and tours include a dram and a tasting of the core range. The distillery shop stocks exclusive single cask bottlings available only on site. Advance booking recommended in summer months.