Down to the Lowlands for a 27 year old Bladnoch that’s been maturing in a refill ex-Bourbon barrel since 1990. One of 94 bottles. Old & Dignified profile.
Nose: Trip to heaven? More like a trip to the bakery. Freshly baked apple pie, butter croissants and brioche and joined by apple and rhubarb crumble and slightly oily, minerality – wet slate. Adding a little water provides discernible peach and cinnamon but lessens some of the buttery baked patisserie.
Taste: Fruity and herbal with good weight. Apples, peaches and citrus come together with polis, balsawood, fresh tobacco leaf and a touch of mint. Cask influence is more noticeable here than on the nose – slightly bitter oak and cinnamon spicing. Water improves integration making for an excellent balance between sweet fruits, bitter oak and cask spice.
Finish: Long, quite woody with a sprinkle of fresh white pepper.
The Bladnoch is well balanced with a good combination of fruitiness and cask influence – further enhanced with just a drop of water. The nose is truly lovely and highly evocative of standing in a bakery whilst pastry-based treated are cooked to perfection.