The return of Bladnoch on WF


September 30, 2025

The return of Bladnoch on WF

Bladnoch Distillery (Bladnoch)

The days when little Bladnoch was something of a companion to Rosebank among the 'lost' Lowland distilleries are long gone. However, restarting it took far less time than it did for Rosebank. There were some peated versions produced by the previous owners (lovely people), but it’s been a long while since we’ve come across any. Maybe today? We’re going to try a vertical tasting, though it’s always a bit tricky when there are NAS bottlings...

Bladnoch 'Dragon Series II -The Spirit' (48.3%, OB, Rare Release, 1st fill and refill bourbon casks, 2,000 bottles, 2023)

We had rather enjoyed The Field I earlier this year (WF 85). They say 'The Dragon Series is a tribute to the timeless power struggle between science and nature' An idea that's no doubt causing quite a stir over in Washington D.C. these days. Colour: very pale white wine. Nose: dry as a stick, showing plenty of grassiness, porridge, a fair few oatcakes and a touch of earthy roots. A smattering of very small pears over in the fruit department, which speaks of youth. Mouth: fruity notes of barley syrup and baked apples to start, then we're back on porridge and grains, the whole thing growing more malty and rather taut as it goes. A few fruits that haven’t quite ripened, but that's just how we like it. The texture is on the oily side. Finish: of medium length, returning to grassy tones with hints of lemon zest. Comments: the focus on nature is clearly present, it would have gone down well with J.J. Rousseau. I just find this simply very good.
SGP:561 - 85 points.

Bladnoch 'Dragon Series III -The Casks' (49.9%, OB, Rare Release, 1st fill sherry and bourbon, 2,000 bottles, 2023)

Colour: gold. Nose: I’m finding a touch of shoe polish and of course a good deal of walnuts, green or aged, a classic sherry marker. It then veers towards bitter orange, always a development I enjoy, and also a bit of modelling clay that takes one straight back to childhood. A few hints of soot and dunnage, even a whiff of hessian. Could there be a little peat in this baby? Mouth: it’s a bit like the bourbon version, only drier still, properly on green walnut and even ashes. Still that very grassy, tight character, this certainly wasn’t a sweet sherry cask, or so it seems. That said, we don’t really find any peat on the palate, the impression on the nose seems to have been but a fleeting moment. Finish: long, still on those notes of green walnut and modelling clay. Comments: I think I slightly preferred the bourbon version, which was more direct and fresher, but this drier, more sherried take is also very good.
SGP:461 - 84 points.

Bladnoch 11 yo '2024 Release' (46.7%, OB, bourbon)

The first of the ‘new’ 11 year olds we tasted had been excellent in our humble opinion, WF 86 for the inaugural version and WF 87 for the 2020 edition. Has there already been a 2025 release? Colour: white wine. Nose: superb combination of exotic fruits, barley, chalk and wee herbs, precise and beautifully taut. Nothing to add, really. Mouth: delicious, easy, still a little oily, opening with a sharp yet utterly civilised medley of passion fruit, lime and apple. Then come the chalk, modelling clay and even a bit of damp ash, all singing backup in the choir (if you will). Finish: same elements and same manoeuvre holding on nicely, with the aftertaste lingering a touch longer, showing acacia honey and perhaps a little agave syrup, although the core remains fairly grassy. Comments: just very good. This nature-driven storyline seems to be resurfacing again.
SGP:661 - 87 points.

Perhaps two indie bottlings now?...

Bladnoch 1990/2014 (53.9%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #50.55, 'High Class Luxury', refill bourbon barrel)

The name 'High Class Luxury' rather brings to mind a distillery more glam and pushier, like M. or D., whereas Bladnoch always feels a bit more value-driven, doesn’t it? But of course, we’d never question the names bestowed by the honourable SMWS. By the way, the Queen Street restaurant has become even more excellent of late. But let’s move on... In any case, here’s a pre-closure Bladnoch, so distilled under the UDVumbrella, just three years before closure. Colour: full gold. Nose: fantastic, very fat, loaded with tobacco, leather, camphor, patchouli, and linden blossom, it almost smells like an ex-sherry and yet it’s refill bourbon. Stunning nose so far, quite reminiscent of a certain Rare Malt, though we’ve never taken any proper notes on that one. With water: zero change. That’s not something we see every day. Mouth (neat): absolutely beautiful, still fat, still brimming with tobacco, peppers, and all sorts of walnuts, even a wee touch of horseradish. Refill bourbon, really? With water: stunning development this time, exactly as expected, on all manner of citrus and finely chiselled spices. Still those peppers, and even a touch of star anise. Finish: long, curiously taut yet still rich and almost thick, not unlike what one sometimes finds in some great white wines. Certain Graves, for instance. Amusing notes of Williams pear in the aftertaste. Comments: magnificent. Not quite what we were expecting… And then there’s that ‘lost style’ feel which remains ever so charming.
SGP:661 - 91 points.

This little gem also reminded us of the old official NAS for Italy — white label, 1970s — a sublime little creature despite its 70° proof. Go on then, one last dram from the UDV era...

Bladnoch 35 yo 1990/2025 (54.2%, WhiskyLand, Decadent Drinks, refill barrel, 212 bottles)

Bladnoch 35 yo 1990/2025 (54.2%, WhiskyLand, Decadent Drinks, refill barrel, 212 bottles)
The labels at WhiskyLand are a bit like the SMWS names, but in picture form, aren't they? Anyway, 35 years old, that’s starting to count, isn’t it. Colour: gold. Nose: tell your friends, this thirty-five-year-old baby is clearly less knackered than a Windows PC after an update. Just like Sir Paul. Actually this is almost a carbon copy of the SMWS profile, only with a little more sweetness, freshness, honey and exotic fruits. I can’t wait to add a few drops of water. With water: in come the citrus fruits, and that’s it, resistance is futile. Exactly the profile from 25 years ago, back when Bladnoch and Rosebank were still neck and neck in this style. Mouth (neat): the freshness is such that it could have been distilled fifteen years ago. Seriously. That’s clearly a mark of quality, and if a few more oaky notes do show up, they’re more on the yew and thuja side of things. The rest is a whirlwind of citrus and tiny herbs, almost impossible to pick apart. With water: it folds in and tightens up, which is great fun. 'Lemoned' barley, I’d say. Finish: of good length, with the freshness of a young Japanese malt distilled near the end of the last decade. Seriously. Comments: I won’t deny there may be a touch of nostalgia behind my rather high score.
SGP:651 - 91 points.

Check the index of all Bladnoch we've tasted