Thirty minutes drive south from Glasgow, nestled in the heart of Ayrshire is a new independent family-owned distillery - now a rare thing in the Scotch whisky industry. Named Lochlea and distilling since 2018, their approach is small-batch, innovative and flexible without the constraints of a large corporate structure. Barley is grown on the farm and an on-site water source is employed, so there's full traceability over production. The venture recently kicked off a series of limited edition bottlings under the label, 'Sowing Edition First Crop', focusing on the growing of barley. This particular expression represents Spring when the barley seeds are sown. Matured in first-fill bourbon barrels and bottled without chill-filtration or added colour, expect a fruity whisky with notes of sweet red apples, vanilla pods, almond oil and a fresh finish. 46% Alc./Vol.

For a few years in the late 18th century, Lochlea was the home and workplace of the famous Scottish poet, Robert Burns. The farm was acquired in 2006 and current owner, Neil McGeoch gained planning permissions in 2014. Despite converting the former piggery, byre and midden into a distillery and repurposing the cattle sheds into bonded warehouses, Lochlea is and remains a working farm, which is what sets it apart from almost every other Scotch whisky distillery. All of the required barley is grown in the fields surrounding the facility. The man in charge of production is Malcolm Rennie who has worked for some of the Scotch industry's biggest names, including Bruichladdich, Ardbeg and Kilchoman. He brings with him more than thirty years of whisky-making nous. Having started production in August 2018, the current offerings are around 3-4 years old. ' Our Barley' is based on a recipe honed by ex-Laphroaig Manager, John Campbell and is comprised of a combination of maturations across first-fill Bourbon barrels, Oloroso Sherry casks, and shaved-toasted-recharred (STR) barriques. It's the distillery's first core bottling and showcases what the producer's describe as Lochlea's signature fruitiness. 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Notes from the producers... Nose: Pear syrup, fruit bonbons, warm cut grass, marmalade. Palate: Golden syrup, pepper, rye bread, macadamia nuts, cream soda. Finish: Long finish with a lasting orange beeswax note.

McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Maurice O'Shea Shiraz continues lead the pack of great Hunter Valley Shiraz. A lovely return to old form, this Maurice has a striking purple hue to it in the glass. To the nose aromas of liquorice and spice with hints of cedar will beguile. Layers of complex flavours dance across the palate including savoury, spicy dark fruits like dark plums and cherries. A classic of classics.

While many seek out the Basket Press Shiraz, it would be a disservice to ignore this opulent and concentrated Barossa Cabernet from Rockford. The Rifle Range actually has a lovely elegant and structured bent to it, some real class. A core of blackcurrant that is complimented by savour touches that lift the wine to some extraordinary levels.

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