Scotland, Central Highlands: Single malt whisky through the producing distilleries: history, making, production and tasting notes
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Blair Athol

Distillery description Tasting notes

The distillery

Blair Atholl

For information about the distillery, please click on the photo.

Blair Athol: official bottlings

Blair-Athol

bottled in 2010, available only at distillery
Collection
 Limited edition collection
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 55,8 %
Bottler
 Official
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 0/100
Blair Athol 2010 distilery
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Blair Athol: independent bottlings
 

Blair-Athol

Chieftain's Choice 25 years
Collection
 Chieftain's Choice
Age
 25 years
Alcohol percentage
 58,8 %
Bottler
 Ian McLeod
Cask
 Hogshead
Cask number
single cask 14326
Dates
 Distil: 12-1976 Bottling: 10-2002
Bottle
 186 btls
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 83/100
 Blair Athol Chieftains
 
Is is clear that this is a good whisky who spent years and years in a sherry cast. The nose detects immediately complex sherry notes, mixed with malted barley. The palate is dominated by the alcohol feeling (it is a cask strength), but after having added a little water, this problem disappears rapidly, and a lot of new flavours appear. A very long finish, sweet and sherryish crowns the very interesting bottling, interesting more from the taste point of view than from the economic point of view. It is rather expensive.
79/100
During the second tasting, all the qualities describes above were present. However, the alcohol was less troublesome that time; A very great whisky.
84/100
A very pleasant mix of sherry, malt and spices is delightful at the very first nosing. A slight touch of acidity mixed with some remote chocolate hints (probably the malt) is present too. In the palate, the acidity dominates first, probably enhanced by the degree of alcohol, but this aggression feeling quickly makes place to a very nice complexity. The very first drop of water drives this aggression away, at the feeling in the mouth clearly develops to a very nice mixing of chocolate and sherry flavours. May be also some woody touches due to the age of the whisky, but this is not unpleasant. The finish is lingering and the sherry hints of the first nosing are back. Here too the favourable influence of a drop of water is clear. The finish develops clearly on malt and even chocolate.
84/100
The nose is first slightly acid, with hints of prune and sherry. This acidity gives it a kind of freshness. Delicate floral touches are detected on the background. A rich nose, at least after the first impression of acidity has gone. In the palate, a very nice mix of fresh and acid notes. A wonderful complexity, letting both marked sherry and pleasant woody notes express themselve. Just before some chocolate touches appear. Real fireworks of tastes in the mouth. The finish is warm, marked by the high percentage of alcohol, rather acid too. Light tinglings in the in the throat remain for a while.
84/100
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Blair-Athol

Signatory Vintage 1987
Collection
 Signatory Vintage
Age
 16 years
Alcohol percentage
 43,0 %
Bottler
 Signatory
Cask number
single cask 3222
Dates
 Distil: 13-5-1987 Bottling: 22-04-2004
Bottle
 282 of 395 btls
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 81/100
Blair Athol
A surprising whisky. A very sweet, fruity nose (ripe peers) and very fresh nose evokes more a Lowlands whisky. The impression of ripe peer remains in the palate, and this fresh and light whisky has a nice finish, fresh and slightly malted, with some alcohol "come-back" on the background.
79/100
At the second tasting, the nose still was very fruity and perfumed. Pears, but also some sweet citrus fruits, tangerine on the background. A great freshness anyway. The palate is dominated by a greant freshness too, associated to a kind of smoothness. Very fruity and perfumed. Very pleasant. The finish just prolongs the mouth feeling, freshness and warmth, due to a touch of alcohol which is clearly present in the finish, even if nothing at the nosing or tasting announced this impression.
79/100
Quite a fresh nose with slightly woody notes, mint and some hints of yeast. A touch of peer alcohol.
The mouth is very pleasant, with this hint of bitterness in addition to the clearly fruity notes which are dominating, associated to minty hints. Nice freshness and complexity.
The finish is rather short and remains in the fresh register of the nose and mouth.
84/100
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Blair-Athol

Best Casks of Scotland 1991
Collection
 Best casks of Scotland
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 43,0 %
Bottler
 Jean Boyer
Cask
 Sherry
Dates
 Distil: 1991 Bottling: 2006
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 84/100
Blair Athol Best Casks of Scotland
Rather clear nose with very nice fruity notes, green apple, and spices, pepper. This nose announces a very interesting complexity and an excellent whisky. The mouth seems slightly behind the quality of the nose, but remains very pleasatn. A mix of slightly woody notes with some prune hints, the whole being marked by a great smootness. The palate is relatively complex, while the finish is first warm, but seems to disappear after a short while. There is however a kind of bitterness which seems to remain longer. A pity, as the nose and the mouth were excellent.
84/100
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Blair Athol: samples

Blair-Athol

Taste Still 1993 46%
Collection
 Taste Still Selection
Age
 12 years
Alcohol percentage
 46,0 %
Bottler
 Taste Still
Cask
 Dark Aloroso
Dates
 Distil: 1993 Bottling: 10-2005
Bottle
 360 btls
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 84/100
Blair Athol tste still 46
A nice clear nose, with nice malted barley notes and dry hay hiding some fruity hints, very pleasant despite their relative discretion. The mouth is quite similar to the nose, pleasantly complex and dominated by a malted sweetness and light hints of exotic fruits and a touch of cashew nut. The finish is quite pleasant and relatively long. No surprise, it exactly prolongs the nose and the palate. A very nice balance
84/100
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Blair-Athol

Best Casks of Scotland 1999
Collection
 Best casks of Scotland
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 43,0 %
Bottler
 Jean Boyer
=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 84/100
A fresh and perfumed nose. Fresh cut grass mixed to honey and fruit fragrances, something between banana and raspberry.
The mouth is pleasantly fresh as well with nice notes of ripe fruit. Quite nice but a bit short.
The finish prolongs perfectly the mouth and nose impressions: fruit and freshness.
A well done whisky, nice and without a flaw.
84/100
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Blair-Athol

Taste Still 1993 55.7%
Collection
 Taste Still Selection
Age
 12 years
Alcohol percentage
 55,7 %
Bottler
 Taste Still
Cask
 dark Aloroso
Dates
 Distil: 1993 Bottling: 10-2005
Bottle
 of 360 btls
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 84/100
Blair Athol Taste Still 55.7%
The nose is dominated by nice cereal notes and discrete sherry hints. Very discrete musty touches of wood enhance the nose pleasure. It is quite different from the 46% bottling. The mouth is first clearly bitter, before developing on sweeter malty, nearly sugared notes. A very pleasant creamy, voluptuous mouth after while, contrasting with the first impression. Rather complex, pleasant whisky. The finish is lingering, marked by a malted sweetness with some memories of quite present wood.
84/100
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Blair-Athol

Best Casks of Scotland 1999 (2010)
Collection
 Best casks of Scotland
Age
 11 years
Alcohol percentage
 43 %
Bottler
 Jean Boyer
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 74/100

Color: White wine
A mixture of discrete fruit, slightly bitter notes (nuts) and hints of yeast forms the first impression on the nose. Yeast fortunately disappears quickly to leave a nose is fresh and little complex.
The palate offers a fairly low complexity. After a first impression of freshness, mouth develops somewhat , although pleasant bitter notes find their way.
Pleasant finish, beginning with notes of nuts and discreet enough to quickly fade leaving only the memory of a lovely freshness.
A whisky drink, for those seeking fun in the first degree.
74/100
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Blair Athol: not in collection

Blair-Athol

Fauna & Flora 12 years
Age
 12 years
Alcohol percentage
 43 %
Bottler
 Official
links & average quote
 79/100
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Blair-Athol

Rare Malts 1975-2002
Collection
 Rare Malts
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 54,7 %
Bottler
 Official
Dates
 Distil: 1975 Bottling: 2002
links & average quote
 93/100
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Blair-Athol

The ultimate single malt collection 1998
Collection
 The Ultimate Single Malt selection
Age
 12 years
Alcohol percentage
 46 %
Bottler
 The Ultimate Whisky Company
Cask
 Hogshead
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 0/100
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