Balblair Distillery, located in the Northern Highlands of Scotland was founded by John Ross in 1790 on the shores of the Dornoch Firth in the village of Edderton. This village takes its name from the ancient settlement of Eadar Dun, meaning ‘between the forts’. It is on the very hills where these ‘forts’ reside that the pure water of the Allt Dearg burn runs freely, supplying the distillery with the same rich source for over 200 years. Every year the Distillery Manager, John MacDonald, selects the finest examples of Balblair from the maturing whiskies which he believes best exemplify Balblair Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky: rich spices; fruits and a pleasant leathery note. Of the thousands of barrels sampled each year, only a limited number are bottled as Balblair Vintage Single Malt capturing the very essence of Balblair.
Balblair Highland 1969 Single Malt Scotch Whisky
This rare Vintage single malt was matured in American oak, ex-bourbon hogshead casks. Balblair 1969 is a superb Vintage that displays remarkable complexity and balance. Truly the jewel in the crown. Released in the States in late 2012, this Vintage has recently been launched for the rest of world. Share your own experiences and tasting notes on Balblair Vintages, both past and present, on The Gathering Place.
Tasting Notes
- Appearance: Balblair 1969 is a rich golden colour with amber highlights.
- Aroma: It has an aromatic and spicy aroma. Fragrant and floral with hints of lemons, apples bananas, pear drops and toffee. On the nose there are also slight vanilla, leather and smoky notes.
- Palate: On the palate the many layers of taste come through, well into the long finish. Honey sweet with hints of green apples, bananas pears and oranges. The full bodied flavour also offers a hint of smokiness, together with a suggestion of toffee and vanilla.
- Finish: Smooth, full bodied and long-lasting.
Their Vintages are intriguingly complex and satisfying. They capture the intense esters at the start of the spirit cut to give their Vintages the core characteristics of apricots, oranges, spices, floral notes and green apples. The heavier oils and lipids at the end of the cut are also captured, giving leathery, nutty and full-bodied characteristics.
The Balblair Ledgend
Within the sight of the Balblair Distillery, on the ancient plain of Eadar Dun, lies a great stone monument, erected over four millennia ago by a race now lost to history. It was this race, the Picts, who for a period took their place in the annals of Scottish history and imbued the stone with their myth and legend. It is this sacred stone, the ‘Clach Biorach’, meaning sharp stone, which has inspired Balblair. The Pictish symbols and ancient legends, ageless in a time of change, are part of the very essence of Balblair. Every distillery is different. From its location and water source, to its still shape and wood policy. These are all determining factors in its ultimate outcome – its taste. Our Vintages are intriguingly complex and satisfying. We capture the intense esters at the start of the spirit cut to give our Vintages the core characteristics of apricots, oranges, spices, floral notes and green apples. The heavier oils and lipids at the end of the cut are also captured, giving leathery, nutty and full-bodied characteristics.
For more info, please visit http://www.balblair.com/.
