Lohin McKinnon Chocolate Malt Whisky
Lohin McKinnon Chocolate Malt Whisky is an 86-proof (43% ABV) Canadian single malt whisky with a dessert built into the recipe — crafted from highly kilned chocolate malted barley and finished in French Sauternes wine barrels, in a 750mL bottle. From Central City Brewers + Distillers in Surrey, British Columbia, it is the collaboration of Master Brewer Gary Lohin and Master Distiller Stuart McKinnon, the duo whose names the line carries — and it drinks exactly like it sounds: vanilla, chocolate, dark fruit, and honeyed toasted almond. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- Proof / ABV: 86 proof (43% ABV)
- Size: 750mL
- Grain: Highly kilned chocolate malted barley
- Finish: French Sauternes wine barrels; limited edition
- Producer: Central City Brewers + Distillers, Surrey, BC, Canada
- Awards: Silver — Canadian Whisky Awards 2019; Bronze — San Diego Spirits Festival 2018
Chocolate Malt, Sauternes Barrels
Most whiskies get their chocolate notes by accident — from the cask, from the toast. Lohin McKinnon builds them in on purpose: start with chocolate malt (barley kilned dark, like the grain in a stout), distill it on German Holstein stills, then finish it in French Sauternes barrels for a honeyed, wine-kissed layer. The namesakes — brewer Gary Lohin and distiller Stuart McKinnon — have been making this line at Central City since the Surrey brewery added distilling in 2013. Browse the Lohin McKinnon collection and more Canadian whisky at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
Per the official brand page and retailers: vanilla and chocolate up front, building into complex dark fruit with mild sweetness. Honeyed toasted almond with hints of cocoa and cream. A long, lingering finish. Suggested pairing: chocolate, dessert.
How to Enjoy
Neat or with one cube — this is a dessert whisky and it knows it. Pour it alongside dark chocolate or after dinner in place of a digestif. A natural gift for the chocolate-and-whisky person in your life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is chocolate malt whisky?
Whisky distilled from chocolate malt — barley kilned to a dark roast, the same grain that gives stouts their color — finished here in French Sauternes wine barrels.
Who makes Lohin McKinnon whisky?
Central City Brewers + Distillers in Surrey, British Columbia — a collaboration between Master Brewer Gary Lohin and Master Distiller Stuart McKinnon.
What is the ABV of Chocolate Malt Whisky?
43% ABV (86 proof) in a 750mL bottle.
Order Lohin McKinnon Chocolate Malt Whisky from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA — dessert, in a whisky glass.