Two superb zesty Bladnoch 1990


September 29, 2023

Two superb zesty Bladnoch 1990

I remember that twenty or twenty-five years ago, the young Bladnochs and the young Rosebanks were vying, in our notes, for the title of the most citrusy of Scottish malts. Let's taste them again now that they are over thirty years old, if you don't mind. Even though the Rosebanks will be for later...

Bladnoch 31 yo 1990/2021 (53%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults Collection, 2nd fill bourbon barrel, #50.118, 'Mountaintop Experience', 143 bottles)

Colour: straw. Nose: a little sour wood at first, but grapefruit and lemon skins are soon to show their faces, followed by lemon candies, lemon curd, then mustard, fino and citrus mint, essential oils and just brioche. There is truly this impression of a young whisky that has aged gracefully, without losing its moral values (what what what?) With water: just a tad softer and rounder, with some custard and fresh-pressed apple juice. It's kept 100% of its DNA. Mouth (neat): lemon candies, sauvignon blanc, lemonade, even Schweppes Lemon… Did it even change at all? The beauty of refill wood in this un-botoxed old malt. With water: sweeter, with wine gums and just lemon juice with a little cane and agave syrups. I'm reminded of some sweet called 'Sugus', which they have/had in Switzerland. Right, just saw that Wrigley bought them up. Finish: medium, citrusy, even more on sweets. A little peppermint in the aftertaste. Comments: I'd have called this 'Lemon Glory' instead, but they may have used that name before. It may not have changed much since the year 2000, but we are really not going to complain. Plain Bladnochness.
SGP:651 - 90 points.

Bladnoch 33 yo 1990/2023 (55.4%, WhiskySponge, Decadent Drinks, refill bourbon barrel, Special Edition, 50 bottles)

Another neo-retro 'kind of tribute' label that's been done with grace, this time you cannot not think of Samaroli's Flowers series, 'but not quite'. A mash-up label (also Stag's Breath). Colour: straw. Nose: same citrus-led profile, plus some minerality and salinity (not exactly the same concepts, as wine people will tell you). That's an extra dimension. It's more fermentary too (weissbeer) while it's even got something slightly fatter (acacia fritters?) and very faint whiffs of lady's moisturizer. In short you wouldn't say it's 10 or even 20 this time. With water: a little rounder yet, more on candied fruit cake, especially candied angelica. Mouth (neat): it's sailed towards passion fruit and starfruits, even physalis. Unusual and wonderful, still very Bladnochian. Oh and lemon and zestier honeys. With water: extra-zing! It's funny how water made it even tarter. Finish: long. I'll have to mention top-of-range limoncello once more. Comments: is there a professional union of limoncello producers? I would send an invoice (enough with the crappy jokes, S.)…
SGP:651 - 91 points.

These Bladnochs really had a unique, very recognizable style, and I believe the umpteenth-fill casks suit them very well, you just have to wait for… 30 years or more.

Check the index of all Bladnoch we've tasted so far