Blair Athol 29yo 1988/2017 175th Anniversary

Blair Athol 29yo 1988/2017 175th Anniversary 

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber, hints of yellow
51.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sandalwood, raisins, lemon zest, clay dust, popping candy, malted grains, orange peel, hints of cloves. With water, candle wax, orange peel, raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cool, tingly, loosens. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Vanilla, raisins, sandalwood, candle wax, lemon zest, orange peel, cinnamon, popping candy. With water, raisins, malted grains, sandalwood. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, longans, orange peel, candle wax. 

Comments: 

Sweet and fruity, but also with a heavy waxy note that gets more prominent with water. Plenty of little vanilla estery accents to the flavours, and a nice fruity, slightly tannic finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Blair Athol 27yo 1975/2003 Rare Malts

Blair Athol 27yo 1975/2003 Rare Malts

Official bottling
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber copper
54.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, papayas, dates, cream, peaches, hints of smoke. With water, leather, papayas, raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, volatile, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Leather, cola nuts, dates, cream, papayas, white pepper, hints of smoke. With water, leather, papayas, raisins, dates. 
Finish: Long. Hoppy beer, papayas, aluminium foil, dates, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Lots of dried fruit, even the tropical fruit notes are reminiscent of the dried preserved version rather than the fresh. Water brings out a meaty leathery note, almost giving it more body. A lovely whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Blair Athol 29yo 1988/2017

Blair Athol 29yo 1988/2017

No Tie Required, The Whisky Agency
Single malt - Central Highlands
Golden
51.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, white pepper, wet stones, peaches, cream, hints of aluminium foil. With water, lemons, peaches, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Wet stones, chalk, malted grains, cream, barley sugar, white pepper, lemon zest, hints of pears. With water, malted grains, wet stones, lemons, white pepper. 
Finish: Long. Cream, barley sugar, wet stones, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Quite a sweet dram, but there’s some complex earthiness, almost a chalky minerally flavour along with the malty notes. Water brings out the maltiness along with a citrus zing.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Blair Athol 25yo 1975/2000

Blair Athol 25yo 1975/2000

Old Malt Cask, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Central Highlands
Pale orange gold
49.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, wet stones, ink, molasses, lemon zest, orange peel, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Molasses, wet stones, orange peel, lemon zest, cream, iron filings, hints of mangoes. 
Finish: Long. Molasses, cream, gentian, wet stones, hints of iron filings. 

Comments: 

Quite lactic, with minerally notes all throughout. But there’s also oranges and lemjns and hints of tropical fruit. The finish is surprisingly bitter and minerally, with a burnt sugar sweetness.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Blair Athol 29yo 1989/2019

Blair Athol 29yo 1989/2019

Cask Strength Collection, Signatory Vintage
Single malt - Central Highlands
Pale gold, hints of pink
50.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, mangoes, white pepper, wet stones, creamy lemon zest, hints of sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, astringent, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Malted grains, wet stones, lemon zesty ginseng, cream, white pepper, coffee. 
Finish: Long. Ginseng, cream, gentian, white pepper, mangoes. 

Comments: 

Cask 3427. A beautiful fruity and minerally nose, but on the tongue, it’s surprisingly bitter and peppery. Lots of herbal bitterness that lingers onto the finish, alongside gentle peppery spice.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Blair Athol 8yo 2015/2024

Blair Athol 8yo 2015/2024

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber gold
48.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, vanilla custard, cherries, malted grains, cocoa nibs, hints of marmalade. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, mouth coating, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, cocoa nibs, vanilla custard, malted grains, butterscotch, orange peel, hints of gooseberries. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, raisins, marmalade, vanilla custard. 

Comments: 

Sweet and vanilla laden, lots of chocolate as well. Decent fruity finish too, lots of jammy notes. It’s very drinkable, but is probably at the lower end of the Thompson brothers’ stuff that I’ve tried.

Verdict:

I like this.

Blair Athol 12yo 2011/2023

Blair Athol 12yo 2011/2023

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Central Highlands
Pale green

48.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Gooseberries, wet stones, peaches, apricots, green tea, orange peel, hints of cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Wet stones, peaches, apricots, apple juice, fresh cut grass, gooseberries, white pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Wet stones, peaches, apricots, lemon juice, hints of white pepper. 

Comments: 

Cask DL17761. Very juicy, fruity, slightly minerally malt. Lots of the orchard and stone fruits that this distillery is known for, and a little spice at the end. Delicious whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Blair Athol 26yo 1973/2000

Blair Athol 26yo 1973/2000

Vintage, Signatory
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber
57.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear drops, raisins, malted grains, milk chocolate, marshmallows, honey, peaches, hints of orange peel. With water, milk chocolate, leather, fresh cut grass, marshmallows. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, mouth coating, syrupy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peaches, apricot jam, malted grains, milk chocolate, cocoa nibs, honey, black pepper, hints of strawberry jam. With water, black pepper, cocoa nibs, strawberry jam, hints of cloves, hints of roast pork. 
Finish: Long. Apricot jam, milk chocolate, marshmallows, vanilla, cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Cask 5016. Sweet and jammy stuff, very spicy, lots of bitter cocoa notes. Very complex, multi-layered, with some grassiness on the nose. Amazing stuff, with a whisper of old bottle effect.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Blair Athol 12yo 2008/2021

Blair Athol 12yo 2008/2021

DS Tayman 
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber pink
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, coffee, tyre rubber, sea salt, caramel, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, watery around the edges, expands slightly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Lemon zest, marshmallows, lemon sherbet, coffee, burnt orange peel, vanilla, hints of apricots. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon zest, burnt orange peel, vanilla, coffee. 

Comments: 

Cask 1801504. Quite a bitter expression this, unexpectedly so. But it’s still redolent of fruit and vanilla, it just has a toasted, sulphurous edge. It’s by no means unpleasant, in fact it creates a nice complexity. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Blair Athol 25yo 1995/2020

Blair Athol 25yo 1995/2020

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Central Highlands
Pale gold
59.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: lychees, pineapples, white grapes, mangoes, Parma violets. With water, vanilla sponge, rum and raisin ice cream.  
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, warm, airy.  
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White grapes, lychees, white chocolate, fresh baked bread, vanilla, mangoes. With water, vanilla sponge, golden syrup, rum and raisin ice cream.
Finish: Medium. Mangoes, white chocolate, malted grains, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Cask DL13945. Extremely fruity and floral stuff, aided and abetted by the very high strength. Robust and spirit forward, a very gentle cask finish despite the quarter century. Delicious, mellows with quite a few drops of water. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Blair Athol 21yo 1997/2018

Blair Athol 21yo 1997/2018

Cask Collection, AD Rattray
Single malt - Central Highlands
Rose gold
63% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh baked bread, roses, honey, vanilla, nectarines, hints of white grapes. With water, yeasty, bread, sponge cake, white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, tingly, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Fresh baked bread, honey, roses, white grapes, gooseberries, hints of fresh cut grass. With water, black tea, vanilla, peaches, gooseberries, hints of raisins. 
Finish: Medium. White grapes, honey, gooseberries, hints of nectarines. 

Comments: 

At the higher strength, this whisky bursts with fruit and floral notes. Once you add water however, it becomes more bitter, more cereally, and frankly, quite a lot more interesting. I really enjoyed the contrast, and honestly, at 63%, some water is required.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Blair Athol 11yo 2007/2019

Blair Athol 11yo 2007/2019

Small Batch, James Eadie
Single malt - Central Highlands
Light amber
58.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, sandalwood, white grapes, brown paper, orange peel, hints of bacon. With water, orange peel, vanilla, orange blossom. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, mouth coating, slightly watery around the edges. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Peanuts, black tea, sweet peas, sandalwood, cinnamon, orange peel, coffee, red grapes. With water, sweeter, honey, coffee, orange peel, red grapes. 
Finish: Medium. Vanilla, red grapes, coffee, back tea, chocolate, raisins, hints of honey. 

Comments: 

Cask 3886, matured in Malmsey Madeira casks. It's sweet, mouth coating and unctuous, full of red fruits and spicy Christmassy notes as you'd expect, but there's also something meaty and more-ish here. It's lovely whisky, really sweet and intense, but not overwhelmingly so.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Blair Athol 8yo 2008/2017

Blair Athol 8yo 2008/2017

Small Batch, James Eadie
Single malt - Central Highlands
Buttercups
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemons, peaches, malted grains, meringues, hints of limes. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, syrupy, sticky. 
Tasting: Sweet sour. Honey, lemons, cotton sheets, meringues, hints of elderflower. 
Finish: Short. Fresh baked bread, lemons, elderflower, hints of cotton sheets. 

Comments: 

Wonderfully fresh and floral. There's also an unctuous sticky character to the whisky, somehow like lemon meringue pie, sharp and decadent at the same time. Excellent stuff, I really enjoyed this whisky, from a bottler I've not encountered before.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Blair Athol 18 yo 1995/2014

Blair Athol 18 yo 1995/2014

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Central Highlands
Dark gold
48.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butterscotch, orange peel, honey, cinnamon, maraschino cherries, hints of beeswax. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, warming, tingly, thickens slightly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Orange peel, candied winter melon, vanilla, whipped cream, hints of beeswax. 
Finish: Medium. Mint, orange peel, maraschino cherries, brown paper. 

Comments: 

Cask no DL 10457. This one is fruity and spicy, candied fruits really. Candied oranges, maraschino cherries, even candied winter melon. And beeswax. A very bold and brassy Highlander. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Blair Athol Distillery

Blair Athol Distillery
Perth Road
Pitlochry
Perthshire PH16 5LY

Central Highlands, Scotland - Active

Flavour profile

Blair Athol is a whisky where a simple core is hidden under a veneer of complex flavours. The core consists of something leathery, maybe slightly bitter and hoppy. I suppose where I say "leather" I really mean light peat. The tannic scent that infuses Blair Athol whisky (for me) isn't really strong enough to count as peat, certainly not the full-fledged peat one gets in Islay whiskies. Instead, it's gentle, subtle, a little whiffy, like the inside of a new car, or a leather wallet.

This is further leavened and hidden by a citric tang. In different Blair Athols I've found that this can take several different guises (orange juice and lemon juice, as well as peaches). There are several other sweet fruity notes, among them vanilla and raisins, that also soften the leathery flavours.


All the Blair Athols I've tasted so far are here.

Blair Athol 12 yo Flora & Fauna - good
Blair Athol 12 yo 1993/2006 - very good
Blair Athol 12 yo 1993/2005 - good
Blair Athol 13 yo 1993/2006 - ok

Distillery history

Blair Athol was founded in 1798, as Aldour distillery, by John Stewart and Robert Robertson. The distillery was renamed Blair Athol in 1825 by Robertson. It eventually passed to Alexander Connacher & Co, to Peter Mackenzie & Company, which eventually became part of Arthur Bell & Sons, which in turn became part of Guinness and thence Diageo. The distillery was silent in 1832 (possibly until 1860) and again from 1931 to 1949.

Besides the 12 yo Flora & Fauna expression, there aren't many other official bottlings. Diageo released a 27 yo cask strength malt, distilled in 1975, as part of its Rare Malts series in 2003. The whisky is a major component of Bell's (but of course!).

Potted distillery facts

Water source: Allt Dour, a burn running through the distillery grounds
Washbacks: Eight. Four, stainless steel, two 25,000 litres, two 30,000 litres, and four, larch, 18,000 litres
Wash stills: Two, normal neck, 13,000 litres
Spirit stills: Two, normal neck, 11,500 litres
Spirit still Lyne arm: Slightly descending
Production per year: over 1,000,000 litres

- The Scottish Whisky Distilleries, Misako Udo

Blair Athol 13 yo 1993/2006

Blair Athol 13 yo 1993/2006

Connoisseur's Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Central Highlands
White wine
43% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Leather, lemon juice, lemons, coca cola, orange juice, bananas, hints of peat.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, slightly watery around the edges.
Tasting: Sour. Lemons, vanilla, honey, leather, lemon juice, orange juice, hints of peat.
Finish: Medium. Tart, lemon juice, leather, orange juice, vanilla.

Comments:

This whisky is surprisingly sour. It's tartness is mouth-puckering, and there's a strange sour aftertaste left on the lips. That said, there are some sweet fragrant notes that appear on the tongue, particularly honey and vanilla. A strangely fresh-tasting dram.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Blair Athol 12 yo 1993/2005

Blair Athol 12 yo 1993/2005

Provenance, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Central Highlands
Golden yellow
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, peaches, leather, orange peel, rosehips, malty beer, hints of peat.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, slightly watery around the edges.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Coffee, leather, malty beer, raisins, walnut skins, white grapes, peaches.
Finish: Long. Coffee, raisins, leather, walnut skins.

Comments:

Sweet and fruity. Nice notes of coffee in the taste and finish, with walnut skins to provide and accentuate some bitterness. Could do with a little more strength, then it would really taste like rum and raisin...

Verdict:

I like this.

Blair Athol 12 yo 1993/2006

Blair Athol 12 yo 1993/2006

Old Malt Cask, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber
50% ABV
Mini

Nose: Oak, banana, oranges, malty beer, brandy, rubber bands, hints of brown paper.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, syrupy, smooth, thickens in the mouth.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Blackcurrants (Ribena), orange peel, prunes, sherry, hints of mushroom.
Finish: Medium. Peanuts, white grapes, hints of melon.

Comments:

Cask 3065, sherry butt. Another fine sherry monster, very brandy-like, despite the young age. Great mouthfeel. Very fruity, with loads of Ribena flavour, and a tantalising musty hint of something I identified as mushrooms, but really can't put my finger on. I got a OMC Advanced Sample Bottle (20cl). It's a great idea - I can now try many expressions in this great series without having to drink 70cl bottles and spend lots of money.

Verdict:

I like this a lot!

Blair Athol 12 yo Flora & Fauna

Blair Athol 12 yo Flora & Fauna

Flora & Fauna, official bottling
Single malt - Central Highlands
Amber
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemongrass, fruitcake, cherries, coconut, plums, cloves.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, unctuous.
Tasting: Sweet. Cream, raisins, cherry brandy, apples, custard, hints of vanilla, hints of leather.
Finish: Short. Spicy, cayenne pepper, hints of vanilla.

Comments:

Interesting nose - I've never tasted or smelt lemongrass in whisky before. There are odd counterpoints in this whisky - lemongrass, leather, cayenne pepper in the finish - that on the surface don't go with the rest of the sweet creamy notes. Somehow the whole thing works quite well though.

Verdict:

I like this.