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| Hello, that is one in all our (nearly) day by day tastings. Santé! |
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March 20, 2025
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A small trio of Bladnoch
Bladnoch was a part of our quartet of Lowlanders twenty years in the past or extra, again when there was nonetheless loads of Rosebank round. So, Glenkinchie, Auchentoshan, Rosebank, after which Bladnoch, which had began working intermittently I believe—whereas Rosebank had ceased manufacturing. And now and again, just a little drop of St Magdalene for good measure. Since then, new distilleries have appeared within the Lowlands…
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Blackcurrant and cassis jelly (Tesco) |
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Bladnoch ‘Dragon Collection I – The Area’ (46.7%, OB, Uncommon Launch, Refill Bourbon, 2,000 bottles, +/-2024) 
One may typically assume that fashionable whisky is an industrial product, made in amenities run by two or three individuals and a few quasi-quantum computer systems. However you then learn this on Bladnoch’s web site and really feel reassured: ‘The Dragon Collection showcases the dimensions of variability encountered all through the method, which is seemingly chaotic and unpredictable.’ That’s precisely what we love, is it not? Color: pale white wine. Nostril: apple cake and lemon cake, neither fairly baked sufficient, which actually brings out the cereal and yeasty notes we at all times get pleasure from. A couple of spring flowers and really mild touches of honey. Feels reasonably near these Bladnochs from the Nineties, actually. Mouth: certainly, very typical, someplace between Fanta and 7Up, recent lemon juice, then recent barley and orange juice. Nothing chaotic right here, I discover this very a lot ‘Bladnoch au naturel.’ End: medium size, nonetheless on barley and citrus, with a finale of inexperienced apple and a faint contact of espresso. Feedback: I discover this very fairly and refreshing, and it’s an important factor that two or three distilleries—even perhaps fewer—proceed to protect this delightfully easy and cheerful fashion.
SGP:641 – 85 factors. |
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Bladnoch 15 yo 2007/2022 ‘Vibrant Stills’ (56.6%, OB, first fill Californian crimson wine cask, cask #705, 250 bottles) 
It’s not completely clear why one thing meant to rejoice the distillery’s ‘vibrant stills’ would then be poured into an American wine cask. However let’s not overlook that a few of our Scottish mates have considerably improved their use of crimson wine casks over the previous 25 years. That stated, the Bladnoch 17 yo ‘Californian Crimson Wine End’ was reasonably tough for me a couple of years in the past. Color: deep gold. Nostril: nothing to do with that one, that is pretty, even when reasonably deviant, with an astonishing quantity of strawberry and morello cherry jams. The excellent news is that notes of mendiants and clafoutis quickly come to the rescue, together with blood oranges—although fortunately with none sangria vibes. With water: blackcurrant in all its varieties, cream, syrup, recent fruit, even buds. A bit bay leaf and a few outdated instruments within the background. Mouth (neat): now that is unusual, like blackcurrant Jell-O made with alcohol as a substitute of water. Behind that, inexperienced pepper and, once more, Fanta. With water: not a lot change, although pepper and capsicum get louder. End: reasonably lengthy, extra on damsons and blackberries. The malt begins to precise itself just a little extra within the background. Feedback: a thousand instances higher than that outdated 17-year-old, although nonetheless a bit deviant for me. Or maybe a contact ‘whisky arrangé.’
SGP:741 – 83 factors. |
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Bladnoch 19 yo ‘2023 Launch’ (46.7%, OB, PX sherry butts) 
This seems to be full-term maturation in Pedro casks reasonably than only a ending. Color: wealthy gold. Nostril: cautious, this can be a lovely nostril, not dominated by dried raisins, although there are fairly a couple of. Beautiful little earthy and nutty notes, liquorice wooden, pipe tobacco, fir honey… All very basic, however above all, very effectively balanced—candy with out being sluggish. Excellent, with beautiful walnut cake notes rising later, topped with a gewurz marc glaze. Sure, that’s a factor! Mouth: a cask that makes its mark, however in a beautiful manner, very cocoa-driven, with one other avalanche of nuts, then leather-based and tobacco. I insist, this isn’t a kind of ‘ultra-sweet’ PX casks drifting in the direction of moscatel. You understand what I imply. End: reasonably lengthy, as soon as once more on blood orange, with some bitter orange as effectively. Nuts and a faint trace of glue within the aftertaste. Feedback: I discover this glorious. Not likely a shock… however then once more, perhaps just a little.
SGP:561 – 88 factors. |
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