First Impressions
Bladnoch 11 Year Old is the quiet workhorse of the rebuilt Bladnoch range — an unpeated, bourbon-matured Lowlander bottled without chill filtration at a purposeful 46.7% ABV.
Distillery and Heritage
Bladnoch sits on the banks of its namesake river at Wigtown in Galloway, and has the distinction of being the most southerly working distillery in Scotland. It was founded in 1817 by the McClelland family, mothballed repeatedly through the twentieth century, and most recently rescued in 2015 by Australian businessman David Prior, who invested heavily in rebuilding the site and restarting production. The current core range under master distiller Dr Nick Savage was launched in 2017.
Tasting Notes in Detail
Matured entirely in first-fill bourbon barrels, the 11 is a textbook exercise in letting Lowland spirit show itself. The extra strength compared to Glenkinchie gives it more mouthfeel, while the youthful fruitiness of the new make is still legible through the vanilla. Non-chill-filtration retains the oils that contribute to the soft, slightly waxy texture.
Bladnoch's stocks at the time of the relaunch included casks laid down by previous owners, and earlier issues of the aged range were drawn partly from those older inventories. The current 11 is increasingly representative of spirit distilled under the Prior-era regime, and the consistency of the bottlings has improved noticeably as the rebuilt distillery has bedded in.
Verdict
The most straightforwardly enjoyable bottling in the reborn Bladnoch range. Proof that the old Wigtown distillery — silent for so much of its history — still has something to say, and at a strength that gives the Lowland style some welcome backbone.
