Scottish 'whisky' matured underwater in Loch Ness in world first
The spirit cannot legally be classed as a whisky due to its unique production method.
A Scottish drinks manufacturer has found a new way of developing spirits. It has matured casks of 'whisky' deep underneath the surface of Loch Ness.
In a world-first, Domhayn plunged casks 214 metres below the surface of the legendary loch on Valentine's Day. The company was named after the Gaelic word for 'deep'.
Stirlingshire -based Domhayn's inaugural release comes from a 2010 single malt barley spirit. It was bottled at natural strength 55.5 per cent ABV.
Legally, the spirit cannot be classed as a whisky. This is because of its unique production of submersion in water that alters its molecular profile.
The unusual process is said to enhance and smooth the spirit. As a result, it possesses a unique flavour profile compared to those achieved by traditional maturation.
There are only six bottles of Domhayn's inaugural in existence. One of these will be auctioned on April 26 as the world's first legitimate in-cask submerged spirit.
Domhayn Founder James Patterson was once watching wild swimmers take a celebratory dram after a dook in Loch Ness. It was here that the idea came to him.
He stated: "This is about pushing the boundaries of how we understand spirit maturation. We know the environment a cask matures in has a huge impact, but no one has explored the application of pressure like this before.
"The results have been astounding. When we retrieved the cask, the difference was undeniable. The spirit had developed a distinctly different aroma and smoothness—something traditional maturation simply couldn't achieve in the same timeframe.
"Given its uniqueness, we expect collectors and enthusiasts to be very curious about how this method compares to conventional maturation. What's more, our proprietary technique isn't limited to spirits—it also applies to wine, rum, and vodka—and that makes it incredibly exciting."
The spirit from each cask of Domhayn has undergone molecular-level analysis at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Oxford. This has been done to ensure authenticity and quality.
Patterson added: "Submersion causes the cask to compress and decompress, triggering a unique interaction between the wood and the spirit involving both extraction and absorption.
"It's a one-off opportunity—each cask can only withstand one dive before the pressure permanently alters it. We wanted to go beyond tasting notes and detect molecular-level changes in the spirit.
"To do this, samples from each of the casks were tested by the Department of Chemistry at Oxford University using chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The technique measures differences in the compounds found in samples.
"The results showed a different molecular composition in the processed samples, providing evidence that our process alters the molecular level profile of the spirits compared to control samples."
The whiskey will be auctioned off. The first bottle will be available online on April 25 at Whisky Auctioneer.
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