Three Blair Athol


February 6, 2023

Three Blair Athol,
two youngsters and one oldie

Blair Athol

Blair Athol Distillery and surroundings (Diageo)

We've always believed Blair Athol was a perfect Midlander, even if there isn't such a thing within official Scotch whisky classifications. And if you ever need something bolder, all you have to do is climb to lovely Edradour…

Blair Athol 10 yo (46%, James Eadie, Small Batch, for UK, 1st and refill bourbon hogsheads, casks #309846-700641-700643, 1,007 bottles, 2022)

It's always good to have a lot of data and details, now which was the ruling mouser at Blair Athol when this was distilled? Colour: white wine. Nose: mown lawn and sourdough all over the place at first, then some ink and fresh concrete, wet limestone, then a little vanilla, polenta, grist and the not-so-unusual apple peel/lemon zest combo. Pure malt whisky as nature intended, shall we say, they should have kept the appellation for these kinds of malt whiskies. Mouth: pure indeed, and exactly on the same aromas/flavours as on the nose, plus some liquorice wood. Finish: medium, very much on barley, then apples, peach skin, bread and white pepper. Comments: not everyone will immediately fall in love with this baby, as it is so 'natural' and, in a way, unsexy. But I for one do find its natural purity gorgeous. Malt whisky as in malt whisky.
SGP:451 - 85 points.

Blair Athol 11 yo 2011/2022 (53.9%, Thompson Bros., exclusive to Ensign Ewart, Dechar/Rechar hogshead, 266 bottles)

The Ensign Erwart is a pub on the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, located not too far from the Scotch Whisky Experience. Colour: pale gold. Nose: close to the JE, unsurprisingly, perhaps even tighter and grassier despite the rechar, but that may be the higher strength. Rather a lot of sourdough as well, plus some plasticine and notes of white wine lees and weissbeer. With water: rather geared towards mint cordial for a while, while concrete and doughs would then have the upper hand. Mouth (neat): even closer to the 10yo just with more tropical citrus, probably from the rejuvenated cask. With water: excellent, this time on lemon cake, finger biscuits, malt, some fresh peppercorns, plus once again a little mint. Mint tea with pine nuts, plus pepper. Finish: rather long and a tad greener and grassier, with a greener tannicity, allspice… Comments: the activated oak feels a bit in the finish, perhaps, but this is still an ultra-natural malt whisky.
SGP:451 - 85 points.

Yeah, in some cases, the 100-scale is too narrow, especially when you feel the need to differentiate spirits that are extremely close. But why that need to differentiate spirits that are extremely close? I see, you're telling me I should see a shrink…

Blair Athol 32 yo 1989/2022 (52.2%, The Whisky Blues, hogshead, cask #5774, 217 bottles)

Lovely kind of post-apocalyptic label, which goes to prove that malt whisky will be needed whenever they fire us towards planet Mars. Colour: light gold. Nose: it's the light, fruity and cakey softness of the make that stands out after 30+ years in well-mannered wood. Pear cake, mango cake, tarte tatin, some papaya and banana, acacia honey, finger biscuit, Champagne… With water: few changes. Some pollen and more flowers, perhaps, acacia flowers… Mouth (neat): passion fruits coming to the front, with their very, very faint sour and metallic side (grandma's silver spoons). Touches of Fanta and green earl grey too, lemon drops, plus some very remote putty-like soapiness that's absolutely not problematic, and some mead. With water: some piney wood and some marmalade. You do feel that a little tension has been lost over the years, but we're still flying particularly high. Finish: medium, rather more on 'tannic' tropical fruits and honey. And in the aftertaste… Champagne! Comments: so, some charming fragility, stuff by our friends the bees, and just nothing to complain about.
SGP:651 - 88 points.

Check the index of all Blair Athol we've tasted so far