Blair Athol

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.

During the second tasting, all the qualities describes above were present. However, the alcohol was less troublesome that time; A very great whisky.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Color: Light gold Here is a nose that is aggressive at first contact. Hints of ether and tingling due to alcohol. Hopefully a little aeration going to settle down. After a few minutes, although ether has not disappeared entirely, discrete notes of toast appear, accompanying scents of green fruit. The slightly bitter aspect of toast or nuts seems to be taking over, luckily ... making it a very pleasant nose at the end . The first impression on the palate is quite mixed. First nice notes of toasted grains, then medicated hints and serious tingling due to alcohol and then evolves into a strong acidity, still keeping while we still have to deal with some quite troublesome presence of alcohol. The finish is surprisingly free of any trace of alcohol excessively present. A pleasant impression of nuts, toast, short a pretty bitterness continues rather long. A nose that takes time to become comfortable, an aggressive mouth and a very pleasant finish. Too bad everything is not in the style of the final ...

Color: Light gold The nose is very classic and offers great though discreet notes of malt, very light hints of ripe fruit, all in a nice balance and a perfect discretion. In short, we are dealing with a pretty nose but we would have liked it to be more exuberant. A pleasant bitterness perfectly balanced forms the first impression in the mouth. No aggressiveness and clearly oriented in the direction of cashews and toast, with a crescendo effect in the intensity ratings. The finish is long and pleasant, still marked by the notes of toast or nuts.

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

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.

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.

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.