Blair Athol 12 Year (Blackadder Raw Cask)

 

Blair Athol is one of those distilleries where I hear the name and think "Sure! Blair Athol! I've had a million of those!" and then I check my archive and I've had two. Just two. 

Maybe I've had a few drams at SMWS tastings or at the bar at Jack Rose here in DC and just forgot to blog them; maybe I just see the name on other blogs, I'm not really sure. But I picked this bottle from Blackadder because I trust Blackadder and I _thought_ I was familiar with Blair Athol. 

Benrinnes 14 Year (Blackadder Raw Cask)

 

Today's bottle was one of those where I said to myself "Benrinnes ... surely I've had a boatload of Benrinnes!" ... and then looked at my archive and discovered no, I've only had three or four bottles of the stuff, and maybe a tot here or there at a tasting. So, in truth, I know very little about Benrinnes - owned by Diageo, founded in 1826 (one of the oldest), formerly known for triple distilling but giving that up in 2007, and a user of the vaunted worm tubs to condense during distillation. 

Caol Ila 11 Year (Blackadder Raw Cask, Sherry Butt finish)

 

Well, well, what do we have here? A sherry-finished Caol Ila of middle age, raw and unfiltered, presented by my favorite independent bottler? Sign me right up. 

Benrinnes 16 Year (Blackadder Raw Cask, Montilla/PX wine finish)

 

This is an interesting one because it's a sister cask to the other Blackadder Benrinnes I had not long ago - that one was cask 309928 and was 15 years old with a rum finish. This is cask 309926, 16 years old and with an unusual Montilla PX finish. 

Linkwood 12 Year (Blackadder Raw Cask, PX Finish)

 

Linkwood is a distillery that is unknown to the public at large, but fairly well-known in the Scotch community. Owned by Diageo (and thus consigned to being blend fodder for Johnny Walker and such), there are myriad fantastic varieties from independent bottlers, almost all of which are known for delicate but persistent fresh grass or hay notes and rich orchard fruit. 

Benrinnes 15 Year (Blackadder Raw Cask)

 

Benrinnes is a distillery from whom I've had very little. According to my records, in fact, I've only had a single bottle - from Single Cask Nation, no less - and I loved it. This one, a 15 year old that's finished in rum casks from Barbados, caught my eye immediately because of my lack of experience with the spirit. 

North British 13 Year Single Grain Whisky (Blackadder Raw Cask)

 

This is a new one for me - I've never had anything by (or even heard of!) North British Distillery. Apparently it was founded in 1885, and is located near Edinburgh. Currently - and this is really interesting - it's a joint venture between beverage giants Diageo and the Edrington Group. The grain output is used for both Johnnie Walker and Famous Grouse. It's also apparently the last working distillery in Edinburgh, and is routinely nicknamed "the NB." 

Blackadder Red Snake (Cask #126: Peated, NAS)

 

I've been eyeing this bottle for a while - a peated Blackadder from a single "top quality first fill ex-bourbon cask." Picked up on a lark this week, mostly because I was already buying a 3 year old Kilchoman, and figured I'd throw this into the bargain. I think this is somehow part of the Raw Cask series in the same way the Sherry Snake, Black Snake, and Puff Adder are as well. At any rate, there are a million charry cask particulates floating in this.  

Ardmore 11 Year (Blackadder Raw Cask)

The second of two Blackadder Raw Cask bottles of my favorite distillery Ardmore that I purchased from Passion for Whisky in the Netherlands. This one is a year older than the prior bottle, coming in at 11 years old, yet it's bottled at the exact same strength - 60.6% ABV. I'm deadly curious to see how this tastes, even as tendrils of smoke from the previous bottle remain on my tongue! 

Ardmore 10 Year (Blackadder Raw Cask)

 

As anyone who has skimmed this blog will know, I am a gigantic fan of Ardmore whisky: fruity, smoky, lightly peated, full of earth and salt, fragrant, at any age it never fails me, not once. 

So recently I discovered the fabulous whisky shop Passion For Whisky, based in the Netherlands, and simultaneously discovered they had a phenomenal selection of Ardmore. I bought three - a 24 yr from WhiskyNerds, and two Blackadder Raw Cask bottlings. This is the first of the Blackadders. 

Aultmore 11 Year (Blackadder "Legendary" Raw Cask)

 

While browsing at one of my favorite liquor stores here in Washington DC, I came across four dusty bottles of Blackadder. One was a 21 year Auchentoshan (far from my favorite distillery), two were Miltonduffs I already have, and the fourth ... was this 11 year "Legendary" Aultmore. Why is it legendary? I have no idea. Blackadder's website doesn't explain. I assume it's a particularly good cask? I guess I'll find out soon enough...

Miltonduff 10 Year (Blackadder Raw Cask, PX Finish)

 

Another uncommon Miltdonduff (think: Chivas Regal) bottling from Blackadder, this time a 10 year with a Pedro Ximenez sherry cask finish. Unsure how long the finish is - safe to guess 1-2 years. Bottled at 57.1% ABV, and zero filtration of even the most basic variety. 

Blackadder Smoking Islay (9 Year Islay Blend)

 

A blend of two unnamed Islay distilleries, married, vatted, and aged 9 years before bottled at a very nice 60.5% ABV (full cask strength), with zero filtration of any sort. I have been in the winter-inspired mood for smoky whiskies lately, so I picked this up on sale. 

Blackadder Peat Reek Embers (Special Reserve, Oloroso Finish, NAS)

 

I can't find very much about the Peat Reek series from independent bottler Blackadder. Even less so about the Embers designation, or the Special Reserve status. All I *do* know for certain is that it's peated to 50 ppm, it's unfiltered and cask strength, and it carries no age statement. Considering that Sherry Snake was the same way - and was beyond fabulous - I am very hopeful for this.

Glen Spey 11 Year (Blackadder Raw Cask)

Glen Spey is another Diageo distillery that goes WAY under the radar most times. Used almost exclusively in J&B blended scotch, I have only ever seen a Glen Spey single malt available from independent bottlers. I had an 8 year from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society that was nice, bright, citric, and quite nice. So I'm curious what Blackadder does with it in its fabulous Raw Cask series - totally unfiltered. 

Bunnahabhain 16 Year (Blackadder Raw Cask)

 

Here we go again - I found another excellent deal on a Blackadder Raw Cask and - as always - simply could not say no. I should have said no, this exhausts my budget for the rest of the month for whisky or anything else, but ... a 16 year peated Bunnahabhain, with giant flakes of cask floating in the bottle? Another Dram Hunter selection from Raj Sabharwal?? Sign me up, I'll go for broke. 

Tomatin 10 Year (Blackadder Raw Cask, USA Exclusive)

 

Another Blackadder Raw Cask independent bottle for me, I got a good deal on this: a 10 year Tomatin entirely matured in a first fill Pedro Ximenez sherry cask. Yes, the whisky really is that dark directly from the cask: this being a Raw Cask, there is no coloring or filtration of any kind whatsoever, and there are myriad pieces of the cask swirling around the bottle. 

Speaking of Blackadder, I managed to turn up this little nugget online: 

"Blackadder International was established in 1995 by Robin Tucek who, together with daughter Hannah and son Michael runs the family business. Robin Tucek is also co-author with John Lamond of The Malt Whisky File – one of the most respected books about malt whisky."

Miltonduff 12 Year (Blackadder Raw Cask)

 

I have become somewhat addicted to these incredible Raw Cask releases by independent bottler Blackadder. This is a 12 year single cask offering from little heard-of Miltonduff, which is one of the core spirits in Chivas Regal. Being from the Raw Cask series, there is absolutely no filtering done whatsoever: 

Blackadder Sherry Snake (NAS, Batch SS01)

 

I have become a huge fan of Blackadder, the independent bottler of scotch whisky. I had a Ben Nevis Raw Cask from them that was one of the best drams I've had all year. I decided to take a risk on this "Sherry Snake" bottle - no age statement, no distillery identity, no color added, no filtration, cask strength (61.9% ABV), from "first fill sherry butts." Very curious. 

Ben Nevis 15 Year (Blackadder Raw Cask 2003)

 

Blackadder is an independent bottler that tends to be very, very pricy where I am - so I have abstained from buying a bottle. That may change after tonight. At a restaurant bar I had a glass of one of the most remarkable Highland whiskies I've ever had - a 15 year Ben Nevis that would rival any Springbank (!). Truly amazing stuff.