A SCOTTISH drinks brand is trying a new way of making spirits by submerging casks in Loch Ness.
Stirlingshire-based Domhayn, named after the Gaelic word for “deep”, has started submerging casks in Scotland's most famous loch as a way of "maturing" spirits.
The idea was developed after Domhayn founder James Patterson (below) was watching wild swimmers take a celebratory dram after a dook in Loch Ness.
The process enhances and smooths spirit, creating unique flavour profiles compared to those achieved by traditional maturation.
Although the brand is submerging casks of whisky, the final bottled product cannot legally be called whisky because its unique production method does not fit within the scope of the defined exclusive processes for whisky or any other spirit.
Patterson said: “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.”
Domhayn’s inaugural release comes from cask DLNABK, which was submerged in Loch Ness on Valentine’s Day this year.
Only six bottles of this 2010 single malt barley spirit exist, bottled at natural strength 55.5% ABV.
“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.”
Domhayn has experimented with submersion cycles, which can range from minutes to a year or more.
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.”
To ensure authenticity and quality, the spirit from each cask undergoes molecular-level analysis at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Oxford.
Patterson said: “We wanted to go beyond tasting notes and detect for 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 first bottle of the spirit will be auctioned online on April 25 at whiskyauctioneer.com.
After the first sale, one bottle will be released for auction every month and can be accessed via domhayn.com.
Each cask which is submerged produces no more than 72 bottles.
The submersion process can be applied to any alcoholic drink, including wine, spirits and some beers.
