Bladnoch 10 Review

Distilled & Bottled by Bladnoch

Region: Lowlands

Type: Single Malt

ABV: 46.7%

Age: 10 yr

Color: Light Gold

Founded in 1817, Bladnoch distillery has had a rough go of it since the 90s. They closed their doors in 1993 but a year later the distillery was discovered by the Armstrong Brothers who decided to purchase it and refurbish it into a fully functioning distillery again.

They got all of the equipment back up and running and began distilling again in 2000. However, the distillery shut down again in 2014 before being purchased by an Australian business man in 2015 and relaunched in 2016.

Bladnoch has since brought in Dr. Nick Savage from MacCallan to be its master distiller. Today we are taking a look at Bladnoch’s 10yr offering, aged in ex-bourbon casks and bottled at a lovely 46.7% ABV, this whisky is free of chill-filtration though I don’t see any mention of it being free of caramel coloring.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Fresh fruit salad, a bit of everything from pineapples to fresh melons, and a spritz of lime. The sweetness transitions from fruit to bubble gum and vanilla notes before a touch of earthiness, leather, and some toasted barley balance the opening deluge of sweet goodness.

Palate: Medium weight with a continued mixture of sweet and spice notes, there’s some malt character and some lemon soda, as well as some more fruit and a hint of peppery spice and burnt oak.

Finish: Lots of wood spice to start. It’s very bourbon forward here with cinnamon, caramel, and barrel sugar sweetness before a toasted sugar cookie returns the whisky to the sweet place it began.

Score: 8/10

Conclusion: I’m a big fan of this whisky. I hope that their new owners stick around and continue to make great products like this. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more offerings from Bladnoch.

Sadly, I’ve not been able to try Lowland whisky with any regularity but Bladnoch does the region proud. If you find this at your local, make sure to grab this sweet and spicy pour. You won’t regret it.