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Lochlea
Founded
2018
Region
Lowland
Status
Operational
Production type
Single Malt
Production capacity
200,000 litres per year
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Lochlea is a Scottish farm distillery, established by Neil McGeoch on a farm in Ayrshire that was once owned by the family of lauded Scots poet, Robert Burns. McGeoch acquired the 222-acre site in 2006 and began experimenting with growing malting barley in 2015. Construction of the distillery commenced two years later and was completed in 2018 when it began quietly producing single malt under the guidance of veteran distillery managers, Malcolm Rennie and subsequently John Campbell.
The distillery is equipped with two bespoke, Scottish-made pot stills, six Douglas Fir washbacks and a 2-tonne semi-lauter mash tun. Its single malt is distilled using its own estate-grown barley and the first releases debuted in 2021.
The Lochlea single malt brand was introduced in January 2022 when its debuted its 7,385-bottle First Release. This was shortly followed by the first of a series of limited edition releases in its Crop series, which were released four times annually until 2024 and were intended to showcase different characters and styles of its single farm single malt.
The core range Lochlea expression is called Our Barley and was introduced in the summer of 2022. It is supported by batch releases of cask strength single malts and regular single cask bottlings.
Lochlea Distillery
Lochlea Farm
Craigie
Kilmarnock
KA1 5NN
Scotland
2006
2015
2017
2018
2021
2022
2024
Neil and Jen McGeoch acquire the Lochlea dairy farm in Ayrshire, initially farming pedigree beef cattle.
First experiments at Lochlea are conducted into growing malting barley with a 50-acre plot of the farm allocated to the crop.
Industry veteran Malcolm Rennie joins the project to oversee its future whisky production.
Construction begins to convert the farms former piggery, byre, and midden into a distillery.
Lochlea produces its first single malt spirit.
Former Laphroaig distillery manager, John Campbell, replaces Malcolm Rennie.
The Lochlea single malt brand is launched with the release of its first bottling.
John Campbell announces his departure from the distillery.
Active brands
Single Malt
