“Bladnoch Special”
Most of you know that I mainly use samples and miniatures when preparing my Reviews. At the request of many of my readers I give preference to more recent expressions. As a result, my backlog of older samples has increased quite a bit. To do justice to those samples I will review them in the form of Specials. These specials will deal with a specific distillery like today or with specific bottlers, countries or regions. These reviews will concentrate on the Whisky and won't touch too much details about distilleries, maturation etc. I do hope you will like these Specials just as much as my regular reviews and I look forward to your reactions and suggestions. In this special I will review three random Bladnoch Single Malts. Enjoy!
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Country: Scotland
Region: Lowlands
Brand: Bladnoch Samsara
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS ( Said to be Minimum 8 years - Some Older Malts are in the mix)
Age: NAS ( Said to be Minimum 8 years - Some Older Malts are in the mix)
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46.7%
Maturation: A Blend of Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Californian Red Wine Casks
Chill Filtration: No
Average Price: US$ 90 (January 2019)
Buying Advice: 😒 Unpleasant off-Notes caused by Wine casks. P/Q ratio: 👎
Colour:
Yellow Gold (Natural Colour)
Nose:
Please be sure to give this Bladnoch enough time in the glass before Nosing as the initial Aromas are not very pleasing. It's almost like Sweaty old Socks that are covered by a fresh layer of Vomit. With time these Aromas subside but they remain present. And so is the Alcohol by the way. Once you are over the first shock you will notice that the Samsara is actually quite Fruity and combines Sweet and Sour Aromas. The Off-Notes are really a pity and greatly affect the score.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Grapes, Red Apple, Orange, Grapefruit, Grass & Straw, Slivovitz and Boiled Sweets.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Toffee, Brown Sugar, Caramel, Cherry-Flavoured Cough Syrup, Apple Vinegar, Raisins, Cinnamon and Dairy.
Palate:
Young and a little Thin despite the ever present Alcohol. A mix of Bitter-Sweet, Sour and Musty notes. Quite Dry actually.
Main Flavours:
Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Boiled Sweets, Cherry-Flavoured Cough Syrup, Orange, Musty Oak, Red Grapes and Wine, Strawberry Jam, Cheap Sugary Chocolate, Cinnamon and Pepper.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Toffee, Salted Caramel, Floral Soap, Slivovitz, Straw/Grass, Cassis, Raisins, Red Apple, Pear and Cloves.
Finish:
Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet, Sour and quite Harsh and Edgy. Quite dry towards the end. The Finish does not invite you to take another sip I'm afraid. I find Salted Caramel, Red Grapes and Wine, Pear, Musty Oak, Strong Medicinal Tea, Cough Syrup, Licorice, Herbal Liqueur, Alcohol, Cocoa Powder, Cinnamon, Pepper and Cloves.
Drinking Advice:
I added a few drops of Water and on the Nose the Off-Notes get weaker. I also get more Malt, Slivovitz (Plum Liqueur) and an artificial Peach Aroma. Palate and Finish do not benefit from added Water.
Rating: 72
Nose: 19 - Taste: 18 - Finish: 17 - Overall: 18
Drinking Experience:
Below average on account of the off-notes.
Conclusion:
Bladnoch was founded in 1817 by Thomas and John McClelland. Over the years the ownership of the distillery changed many times and on many occasions the distillery was closed temporarily until it was finally liquidated in 2015. David Prior bought it in 2015 and brought life back to Bladnoch. Production restarted in 2017 and the estimated production this year will be around 400.000 lt.
The Samara is the first of three new Bladnoch expressions that were released in 2016 to celebrate the reopening of this distillery under new owner David Prior. The other two are Adela and Talia. Samsara means Rebirth and that's quite appropriate. The Samara is made by blending Bladnoch Spirit matured in First-Fill Bourbon Casks and First Fill Californian Red Wine casks. Bladnoch is made with locally produced Barley. The Water is sourced from the river Bladnoch.
This is only my fourth Bladnoch and the first released by its new owner. I'm sorry to say though I'm not at all impressed by the Samara despite the very nice presentation and bottle. I'm not a big fan of Red Wine cask maturation and it certainly does not work this time round. The off-notes are most certainly caused by those casks. A pity as the Bladnoch Spirit appears to be quite Fruity by itself. It just needs time and a good cask! One of the frequent problems with Bladnoch is the presence of Alcohol. That's more difficult to explain as I find it in both young and old whiskies produced at this distillery. A bit of a mystery! The Samara is quite expensive and the P/Q ratio is negative. I can't recommend this Bladnoch.
Country: Scotland
Maturation: A Blend of Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Californian Red Wine Casks
Chill Filtration: No
Average Price: US$ 90 (January 2019)
Buying Advice: 😒 Unpleasant off-Notes caused by Wine casks. P/Q ratio: 👎
Colour:
Yellow Gold (Natural Colour)
Nose:
Please be sure to give this Bladnoch enough time in the glass before Nosing as the initial Aromas are not very pleasing. It's almost like Sweaty old Socks that are covered by a fresh layer of Vomit. With time these Aromas subside but they remain present. And so is the Alcohol by the way. Once you are over the first shock you will notice that the Samsara is actually quite Fruity and combines Sweet and Sour Aromas. The Off-Notes are really a pity and greatly affect the score.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Grapes, Red Apple, Orange, Grapefruit, Grass & Straw, Slivovitz and Boiled Sweets.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Toffee, Brown Sugar, Caramel, Cherry-Flavoured Cough Syrup, Apple Vinegar, Raisins, Cinnamon and Dairy.
(Picture Credit: Whisky.com)
Palate:
Young and a little Thin despite the ever present Alcohol. A mix of Bitter-Sweet, Sour and Musty notes. Quite Dry actually.
Main Flavours:
Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Boiled Sweets, Cherry-Flavoured Cough Syrup, Orange, Musty Oak, Red Grapes and Wine, Strawberry Jam, Cheap Sugary Chocolate, Cinnamon and Pepper.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Toffee, Salted Caramel, Floral Soap, Slivovitz, Straw/Grass, Cassis, Raisins, Red Apple, Pear and Cloves.
Finish:
Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet, Sour and quite Harsh and Edgy. Quite dry towards the end. The Finish does not invite you to take another sip I'm afraid. I find Salted Caramel, Red Grapes and Wine, Pear, Musty Oak, Strong Medicinal Tea, Cough Syrup, Licorice, Herbal Liqueur, Alcohol, Cocoa Powder, Cinnamon, Pepper and Cloves.
I added a few drops of Water and on the Nose the Off-Notes get weaker. I also get more Malt, Slivovitz (Plum Liqueur) and an artificial Peach Aroma. Palate and Finish do not benefit from added Water.
Rating: 72
Nose: 19 - Taste: 18 - Finish: 17 - Overall: 18
Drinking Experience:
Below average on account of the off-notes.
Conclusion:
Bladnoch was founded in 1817 by Thomas and John McClelland. Over the years the ownership of the distillery changed many times and on many occasions the distillery was closed temporarily until it was finally liquidated in 2015. David Prior bought it in 2015 and brought life back to Bladnoch. Production restarted in 2017 and the estimated production this year will be around 400.000 lt.
The Samara is the first of three new Bladnoch expressions that were released in 2016 to celebrate the reopening of this distillery under new owner David Prior. The other two are Adela and Talia. Samsara means Rebirth and that's quite appropriate. The Samara is made by blending Bladnoch Spirit matured in First-Fill Bourbon Casks and First Fill Californian Red Wine casks. Bladnoch is made with locally produced Barley. The Water is sourced from the river Bladnoch.
This is only my fourth Bladnoch and the first released by its new owner. I'm sorry to say though I'm not at all impressed by the Samara despite the very nice presentation and bottle. I'm not a big fan of Red Wine cask maturation and it certainly does not work this time round. The off-notes are most certainly caused by those casks. A pity as the Bladnoch Spirit appears to be quite Fruity by itself. It just needs time and a good cask! One of the frequent problems with Bladnoch is the presence of Alcohol. That's more difficult to explain as I find it in both young and old whiskies produced at this distillery. A bit of a mystery! The Samara is quite expensive and the P/Q ratio is negative. I can't recommend this Bladnoch.
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Whisky Review # 794
Country: Scotland
Region: Lowlands
Brand: Bladnoch Adela
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 15 Years
Age: 15 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46.7%
Maturation: Oloroso Sherry Casks (Both American and European Oak)
Chill-Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 105-130 (January 2019)
Buying Advice: 😴A plain Sherried Malt. P/Q ratio: 👎Totally overpriced
Colour:
Golden Copper (Natural Colour)
Nose:
This smells somewhat similar to the Samsara but I'm happy to report that the Off-Notes are much less aggressive. The Sweaty Socks are still there though. I also pick up a little Sulphur. As usual with Bladnoch, the Alcohol is very present. On the Nose, the Adela is mainly Sweet and Medium-Dry with lots of Dried Fruit, Nuts & Oranges.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Raisins and Apricots, Mixed Nuts, Boiled Sweets, Orange, Milk Chocolate, Apple Vinegar, Strawberry Yogurt and Coffee Beans.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Toffee, Floral Perfume, Honey, Cherry-Flavoured Candies, Dried Herbs, Lemon, Pear, Nectarine and Cinnamon.
Palate:
Bitter-Sweet, Herbal, Medium-Dry and a little Edgy. That damned Alcohol again! The Sherry influence is clear and the proper Cask is more noticeable by now. The main drivers like Dried Fruit, Nuts and Dark Chocolate basically follow the Nose.
Main Flavours:
Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas and Apricots, Mixed Nuts with Walnuts in the lead, Strawberry Jam, Dark Chocolate, Strong Espresso, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves, Menthol and Licorice.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Vanilla, Floral Perfume, Green Apples, Blackcurrants, Dried Herbs, Musty Oak, Dirty Track, Grapefruit Juice and Tobacco.
Finish:
Middle-Long and Bitter-Sweet. Dry towards the end. I find Sweet Barley, most of the Sherry Cask notes I also found on the Nose like the Dried Fruits and the Nuts, Dark Espresso, Cocoa Powder, Cherry-Flavoured Cough Pastilles, Musty Oak, Blackcurrants, Green Apple, Pepper, Nutmeg, Licorice, Menthol, Freshly Printed Newspapers and a light Metallic note.
Drinking Advice:
I added a few drops of Water. The Nose becomes very Perfumy and strangely enough the Alcohol appears to be even more present. Palate and Finish become rather dull and boring. Better sip the Adela neat.
Rating: 81.5
Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5
Drinking Experience:
Okay/Good.
Conclusion:
The Adela is the second of three new Bladnoch expressions that were released in 2016 to celebrate the reopening of this distillery under new owner David Prior. The other two are Samsara & Talia. The Adela matures in Oloroso casks, some of them being First-Fill.
The Adela is certainly a step up when compared to the Samsara. But its P/Q ratio is totally out of line. Over a 100 bucks for a plain, slightly dull Sherried Lowland Single Malt with a few Off-Notes. I understand that the new owners are in need of cash but I don't think this is the best way forward for Bladnoch as potential new clients will be turned off by the high prices and lack luster profile of these new expressions. Despite the attractive packaging and presentation! I hope the last Indie Bladnoch can save the day!
Whisky Review # 795
Country: Scotland
Maturation: Oloroso Sherry Casks (Both American and European Oak)
Chill-Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 105-130 (January 2019)
Buying Advice: 😴A plain Sherried Malt. P/Q ratio: 👎Totally overpriced
Colour:
Golden Copper (Natural Colour)
Nose:
This smells somewhat similar to the Samsara but I'm happy to report that the Off-Notes are much less aggressive. The Sweaty Socks are still there though. I also pick up a little Sulphur. As usual with Bladnoch, the Alcohol is very present. On the Nose, the Adela is mainly Sweet and Medium-Dry with lots of Dried Fruit, Nuts & Oranges.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Raisins and Apricots, Mixed Nuts, Boiled Sweets, Orange, Milk Chocolate, Apple Vinegar, Strawberry Yogurt and Coffee Beans.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Toffee, Floral Perfume, Honey, Cherry-Flavoured Candies, Dried Herbs, Lemon, Pear, Nectarine and Cinnamon.
Palate:
Bitter-Sweet, Herbal, Medium-Dry and a little Edgy. That damned Alcohol again! The Sherry influence is clear and the proper Cask is more noticeable by now. The main drivers like Dried Fruit, Nuts and Dark Chocolate basically follow the Nose.
Main Flavours:
Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas and Apricots, Mixed Nuts with Walnuts in the lead, Strawberry Jam, Dark Chocolate, Strong Espresso, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves, Menthol and Licorice.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Vanilla, Floral Perfume, Green Apples, Blackcurrants, Dried Herbs, Musty Oak, Dirty Track, Grapefruit Juice and Tobacco.
Finish:
Middle-Long and Bitter-Sweet. Dry towards the end. I find Sweet Barley, most of the Sherry Cask notes I also found on the Nose like the Dried Fruits and the Nuts, Dark Espresso, Cocoa Powder, Cherry-Flavoured Cough Pastilles, Musty Oak, Blackcurrants, Green Apple, Pepper, Nutmeg, Licorice, Menthol, Freshly Printed Newspapers and a light Metallic note.
Drinking Advice:
I added a few drops of Water. The Nose becomes very Perfumy and strangely enough the Alcohol appears to be even more present. Palate and Finish become rather dull and boring. Better sip the Adela neat.
Rating: 81.5
Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5
Drinking Experience:
Okay/Good.
Conclusion:
The Adela is the second of three new Bladnoch expressions that were released in 2016 to celebrate the reopening of this distillery under new owner David Prior. The other two are Samsara & Talia. The Adela matures in Oloroso casks, some of them being First-Fill.
The Adela is certainly a step up when compared to the Samsara. But its P/Q ratio is totally out of line. Over a 100 bucks for a plain, slightly dull Sherried Lowland Single Malt with a few Off-Notes. I understand that the new owners are in need of cash but I don't think this is the best way forward for Bladnoch as potential new clients will be turned off by the high prices and lack luster profile of these new expressions. Despite the attractive packaging and presentation! I hope the last Indie Bladnoch can save the day!
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Country: Scotland
Region: Lowlands
Brand: Bladnoch 1990
Bottled By: Sansibar - Spirit Shops Selection - Chinese Theater Mask Label
Bottled By: Sansibar - Spirit Shops Selection - Chinese Theater Mask Label
Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky - Cask #: Unknown - Bottles: 177
Age: 26 Years
Age: 26 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 47.2% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: Sherry Cask
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: Around US$ 250 (January 2019)
Buying Advice: 😋Lovely Bladnoch. Expensive but worth the price!
Colour:
Golden (Natural Colour)
Nose:
Very Fruity and Fresh for a 26 Year old Single Malt. No Off-Notes here! A little Sulphur perhaps but nothing serious. Good Cask. Not too active. The Oak is not too dominant on the Nose and lets the Fruit shine. It wouldn't be a Bladnoch though if you couldn't notice the Alcohol! Be sure to give it enough time in the glass before Nosing.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Lots of Citrus Fruit like Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit and Orange, Pear, Grass, Bounty Candy Bars and Ginger Bread.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Floral Perfume, Nectarines, Pineapple, Apple-Vinegar, Tutti Frutti Candies, Raisins, Nuts, Slivovitz, Dairy, Lemon Ice-Tea, Forrest Floor, light Oak and Pepper.
Palate:
Again very Fruity. It's more like a Fruit Cocktail and it's not that easy to pick up all the Individual Fruit. On the Palate, this Bladnoch is pleasantly Sweet. The Alcohol is better integrated at this point but still noticeable. The Oak is there of course but never in an overwhelming way. Quite nice!
Main Flavours:
Sweet Barley, Citrus Fruit like Orange, Lemon, Lime and Grapefruit, Red Apple, Grass, Bounty Candy Bars, Fresh Herbs, Pepper and Menthol.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
White Wine, Melon, Papaya Cream, Nuts, Vanilla, Lemon Ice Tea, Mango Juice, Tobacco, Wet Rocks, Mild Oak and Ginger.
Finish:
Long, Warming and still very Fruity. Pleasantly Sweet with just a little Bitterness towards the Dry end. Good interaction between Spirit & Oak. I find Citrus Peel, Orange Liqueur, Red Apples, Melon, Nuts, Grass, Limoncello, Fresh Herbs, Barley, Bounty Candy Bars, Pepper, Ginger, light Licorice and Menthol.
Drinking Advice:
I added a bit of Water and that helps to calm down the Alcohol. It gets Mellow this way but the Fruit explosion is less strong. I also get Nutmeg and Cinnamon in the Finish. My advise is to sip it neat to fully enjoy the abundance of Fruit. But you can easily add a few drops of Water if you like.
Rating: 89
Nose: 22 - Taste: 22.5 - Finish: 22 - Overall: 22.5
Drinking Experience:
Very Nice.
Conclusion:
This Sansibar expression shows that there's really nothing wrong with the old Bladnoch Spirit. It's quite Fruity and this specific not too active Sherry Cask did contribute a lot to maintain an almost perfect marriage between Spirit & Wood despite the long maturation. Whisky of this age can get very Woody but that's not the case here. Once again I find that a good cask makes the real difference between a good, an indifferent and a bad Whisky. My experience has shown that this is the case with all distilleries. There is no bad Spirit unless you cut the Spirit too early and/or too late. But the Heart of the Spirit, a good cask and sufficient maturation guarantee a good Whisky. This Bladnoch is a good example and it flies directly into my All-Time Top 20. Good stuff!
Cheers!
Jan van den Ende January 18, 2019
(Picture Credit: Whisky Advocate)
Maturation: Sherry Cask
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: Around US$ 250 (January 2019)
Buying Advice: 😋Lovely Bladnoch. Expensive but worth the price!
Colour:
Golden (Natural Colour)
Nose:
Very Fruity and Fresh for a 26 Year old Single Malt. No Off-Notes here! A little Sulphur perhaps but nothing serious. Good Cask. Not too active. The Oak is not too dominant on the Nose and lets the Fruit shine. It wouldn't be a Bladnoch though if you couldn't notice the Alcohol! Be sure to give it enough time in the glass before Nosing.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Lots of Citrus Fruit like Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit and Orange, Pear, Grass, Bounty Candy Bars and Ginger Bread.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Floral Perfume, Nectarines, Pineapple, Apple-Vinegar, Tutti Frutti Candies, Raisins, Nuts, Slivovitz, Dairy, Lemon Ice-Tea, Forrest Floor, light Oak and Pepper.
Again very Fruity. It's more like a Fruit Cocktail and it's not that easy to pick up all the Individual Fruit. On the Palate, this Bladnoch is pleasantly Sweet. The Alcohol is better integrated at this point but still noticeable. The Oak is there of course but never in an overwhelming way. Quite nice!
Main Flavours:
Sweet Barley, Citrus Fruit like Orange, Lemon, Lime and Grapefruit, Red Apple, Grass, Bounty Candy Bars, Fresh Herbs, Pepper and Menthol.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
White Wine, Melon, Papaya Cream, Nuts, Vanilla, Lemon Ice Tea, Mango Juice, Tobacco, Wet Rocks, Mild Oak and Ginger.
Finish:
Long, Warming and still very Fruity. Pleasantly Sweet with just a little Bitterness towards the Dry end. Good interaction between Spirit & Oak. I find Citrus Peel, Orange Liqueur, Red Apples, Melon, Nuts, Grass, Limoncello, Fresh Herbs, Barley, Bounty Candy Bars, Pepper, Ginger, light Licorice and Menthol.
Drinking Advice:
I added a bit of Water and that helps to calm down the Alcohol. It gets Mellow this way but the Fruit explosion is less strong. I also get Nutmeg and Cinnamon in the Finish. My advise is to sip it neat to fully enjoy the abundance of Fruit. But you can easily add a few drops of Water if you like.
Rating: 89
Nose: 22 - Taste: 22.5 - Finish: 22 - Overall: 22.5
Drinking Experience:
Very Nice.
Conclusion:
This Sansibar expression shows that there's really nothing wrong with the old Bladnoch Spirit. It's quite Fruity and this specific not too active Sherry Cask did contribute a lot to maintain an almost perfect marriage between Spirit & Wood despite the long maturation. Whisky of this age can get very Woody but that's not the case here. Once again I find that a good cask makes the real difference between a good, an indifferent and a bad Whisky. My experience has shown that this is the case with all distilleries. There is no bad Spirit unless you cut the Spirit too early and/or too late. But the Heart of the Spirit, a good cask and sufficient maturation guarantee a good Whisky. This Bladnoch is a good example and it flies directly into my All-Time Top 20. Good stuff!
Cheers!
Jan van den Ende January 18, 2019
(Picture Credit: Whisky Advocate)
