Lochlea Says Goodbye to the Seasons and Hello to a New Core Range

Here I am, jumping in with some hot-off-the-still whisky news and it’s about a distillery I’ve been seriously excited about for a while now: Lochlea.

Watch the full video on Youtube

Farewell to the Seasons 🌱🌾🍂❄️

Lochlea, the farm distillery in Ayrshire, announced back in 2024 that its well-loved seasonal releases would be winding down. Each one mirrored the farming calendar:

Sowing Edition (Spring) — celebrating when barley seed hits the soil.

Harvest Edition (Summer) — for the gathering-in of the grain.

Fallow Edition (Autumn) — when the land rests.

Ploughing Edition (Winter) — for when the hard work starts again.

It was a neat, clever series which tapped into the “limited edition” excitement. But none of that matters anymore, because Lochlea has just unveiled its replacement. The shiny Single Estate core range of single malts.

Taken from Lochlea's Instagram

Meet the New Core Four 🥃

On the 4th September 2025, Lochlea will officially release its new permanent collection, which will join their current staple Our Barley. All bottled at 46% ABV, natural colour, and non-chill filtered it is almost tying with the release of the new Fantastic Four movie.

I feel that this is a smart move, because for any distillery (especially a young one) to survive in today’s whisky jungle, it needs a consistent and clear foundation. A core range gives drinkers a chance to connect with the spirit, get to know the distillery DNA, and explore the different ways cask types can shape it.

So, what do we know about the three newcomers?

Orchard & Oak

Matured in a mix of First Fill Bourbon, Virgin American Oak, and the curveball of Calvados casks.

Dark Briar

Inspired by the old Fallow Edition, this one is a combo of Pedro Ximénez, Oloroso Sherry butts, and Port casks.

Smoke Without Fire

The spirit successor to Ploughing Edition, this one dabbles in smoke. Instead of cutting turf themselves, Lochlea has gone for ex-peated refill bourbon barrels and red wine casks.

The bigger picture for Lochlea

So while I am a bit gutted that there’ll be no more Harvest Crop bottles, I’m genuinely excited for this move. It feels like Lochlea is levelling up and building a stronger footing to build from. Alongside Our Barley, these three new expressions bring variety, consistency, and a strong identity.

In fact, I’d put Lochlea right up there with Glasgow and Ardnahoe as part of the new wave of distilleries doing things the right way. Not rushing, no cutting corners, but steadily building something with real character.

Time will tell when we try the liquid!