Description
Balblair 12YO 700ml is a Highland single malt Scotch whisky from Balblair Distillery at Edderton in Ross-shire, north of Inverness. It is aged for 12 years in American oak ex-bourbon casks and double-fired American oak casks, then bottled at 46%.
Balblair gives 1790 as its founding date, and that year appears on the label. John Ross established the business and his family ran it until 1894, when architect Charles Doig rebuilt the distillery nearer Edderton railway station. The move kept the distillery on its original water supply, the Ault Dearg burn.
Later owners included Robert Cumming, who bought the freehold in 1948, and Hiram Walker from 1970. Inver House Distillers has owned Balblair since 1996. Production is small in scale, with one wash still and one spirit still, and the 12 Year Old is the youngest bottling in the core range.
The two cask types are both American oak, so no sherry wood is involved in this recipe. The result leans towards fresh citrus and orchard fruit, with vanilla and spice from the oak, and the label’s 46% strength gives those flavours some weight in the glass.
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Pour it neat at first, because the extra strength carries plenty of flavour, then add a few drops of water to soften the spice and draw out the fruit. It also works over a single large ice cube. At the table, try it with baked salmon, a mild goat’s cheese or an apple tart.
- Balblair Distillery, Edderton, Scottish Highlands
- American oak ex-bourbon and double-fired American oak casks
- Aged 12 years, bottled at 46% ABV
Lemon peel, creamy vanilla and crisp green apple come first on the nose. The palate adds ground spices, ginger, dried orange and honey, and the finish stays creamy with sweet vanilla and a lift of lemon.
A fitting choice for anyone who likes a fruit-led Highland malt with some spice and a little more strength in the glass. It also makes a thoughtful gift for someone who enjoys exploring smaller distilleries.
