Tasting 5 Blair Athols

Most of Blair Athols output goes into blends, mainly Bell's. There used to be an 12yo OB in the Flora & Fauna series, and in 2010 there were a high strength OB released. I'll be trying that one in this tasting. Other than that I don't think they've ever bottled a lot of single malt. Some whiskies from James MacArthur's and one Cadenhead's as well.



Blair Athol 18yo 1977-1995 50.4% James MacArthur's

Blair Athol at 18yo, a rich and fruity highlander? The color is dark golden. It smells of peat, honey, dry notes, ginger, white pepper, glue, burnt wood, oaky. The taste is wheat, lager ale, peppery, oaky, peat, gin, lemon rind, fresh sage, cumin. Its not a whisky for any one with a refined taste, this the ugly bulldog at the dog show. Water opens it up a bit on some acidic plastic notes, grainy. The finish reminds me of some very bad vodka. All in all not a very pleasant experience I'm afraid.

Just unbalanced and with one too many off-notes: 3.5


Blair Athol 17yo 1977-1994 53.1% James MacArthur's

Same vintage and almost same age, should I prepare myself for another burnt and oaky one? The color is golden. It smells of perfumy notes, tea, lime zest, paint thinner, once agin some weird stuff. The taste is sweet, cinnamon, light, peppery, oranges, creamy, pears, white grapes, a totally different whisky this time around. The finish is once again a bit strange with some fresh mint and lime.

Beautiful whisky, one with that fruity highland flair: 6


Blair Athol 14yo 1978-1992 53.1% James MacArthur's

Another Blair Athol from the 70's, third in a row. Seems most Blair Athols I've ever tasted was distilled and bottled some decades ago. Perhaps its time for IB's to take a new interest in this distillery? The color is dark golden. It smells of honey, lime rind, caramel, toffee, grape soda, white wine, bounty chocolate, coconut, rich, Mitchell's blend comes to mind. The taste is sweet, honeyed, peat, turnips, ashy, sooth, mustard, cigarette smoke, oaky, fragrant, carrot, juniper, grassy, fresh, thyme, mint, lingonberry vinegar. The finish is long and peppery.

Best so far, how I imagine some peated rum might taste like: 6.5


Blair Athol NAS 2010 55.8% OB

This one was sold exclusively at the distillery. The color is light golden brown. It smells of peat, there is no peat in Blair Athol, is there? Yet these that I've had so far all reminisces me of peat. It smells of butter, caramel, onions, corn stew, maize, very light whisky. The taste is all on licorice and leather, honey, balsamic, phenols, some tannins, the best palate so far, really a rich highlander. If this is the general output of modern Blair Athol casks, then its a shame they don't bottle more of.

My fav Blair Athol thus far perhaps: 7.5


Blair Athol 24yo 1966-1990 57.1% Cadenhead's

This is the oldest Blair Athol I've ever tasted, bottled no less than 22 years ago, and a 24 years of age then, one can only imagine what stories this small whisky could tell. Or maybe its just been stuck in a cask and then an attic for four decades. Noone will ever know. So this is the final end of its journey... The color is golden. It smells of honey, strawberries, prunes, jam, oranges, tea, rich, raisins, sherry, tangy, phenolic, great stuff. The taste is drying, fino sherry, oaky, resinous, hay, starch, wheat, dried mushrooms, a very dry whisky. Leather and cream, biscuits, salty, amazing in its own old style way. I wish they stated the cask type on this old Cadenhead's bottling, wonderful stuff!

Compare to modern whiskies, no.. wait, they can't compare: 8.5



Next tasting: Glen Garioch Distillery