Bladnoch 16-year-old

The color is deep, copper-red. The texture is dense, the stems are firm and oily, and are difficult to separate. Quite bright, but not captivating. More reminiscent of a mature, high-quality Russian cognac. Noticeably hot and a bit rough for a 16 year old. 22 22 21 21

Gorgeous sherry on the backdrop of linseed oil. Very clean, slightly spicy (black pepper, chillies). A lot of dried fruit and some leather. In short, very oloroso-y. A gorgeous palate and finish, very focused, even though it loses a bit of distillery character (of years ago, not sure how relevant that still is...)

This is a very good sherried whisky. It reminds me somewhat of Springbank 15, although it leans more toward earthy, cellar-like notes, which gives it its own distinct character. The balance between the rich sherry influence and those damp, mineral qualities is very enjoyable and keeps the whisky interesting from start to finish. My only real criticism is the bottling strength. I think this whisky would benefit greatly from a higher ABV—around 51% would be ideal. The extra strength would likely add more intensity, improve the texture, and help the flavours develop with greater depth. It would also give the finish more staying power. As it stands, the finish is pleasant but fades a little too quickly and doesn’t quite deliver on the promise of the palate. With just a few extra percentage points of alcohol, I think this could be an outstanding dram.

Dark, brown color. Oily texture.

A stunning, vibrant, and extremely atypical Lowlander in the Highland steppe: woody, dark, honeyed, walnut-nutty, astringent, sweet, tart, capacious, and full of character – a unique charm!