Blair Athol
Blair Athol
REGION: Highland
STYLE: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 45.8%
AGE: 15 Years
RRP: £64.95
Rarely seen as a single malt in it’s own right, Blair Athol has appeared as a member of the Flora & Fauna range. The distillery was bought by Arthur Bell & Sons and became a signature malt in their Blended Scotch.
The original distillery was named Aldour after the burn which supplied it with process water, but changed its name to Blair Athol in 1825.
Cloudy worts and a short fermentation time give the nutty base, but it is distillation which adds real weight to the distillate. A controlled level of solids coming across in the wash still add a rich, deep, malt-loaf character to the new make. Almost all of the output is destined for blending, so as such ex-bourbon casks are used almost exclusively.
This is a beautiful 15 Year Old Blair Athol that we’ve finished in a First Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel. We’re expecting around 344 bottles of this Highland malt.
NOSE
Bright and crisp, with a sweet malt character and subtle honey notes. Overripe orchard fruits mingle with soft oak undertones, adding just a touch of charred woodiness.
TASTE
A sweet, malty base balanced by vibrant citrus notes, with a touch of vanilla sweetness and light summer grasses, finishing with subtle hints of ginger.
ABOUT THE LABEL
The original label had a chap with a beard and glasses trimming the distillery's famous flora into bells . We’ve always thought that this chap looked a little familiar, so we asked Emily to make it a little more obvious; the former head of whisky outreach at Diageo, and now author, Dr Nicholas Morgan
