A while ago I ordered some ridiculous samples from WhiskySample.nl and with it came this surprise Blair Athol. Asta Morris is a bottler is somehow like but never keep track of. Strange, because the very first experience I had with them was nothing short of stellar. That was the BenRiach 1975, by the way.

More recent experiences were pretty solid too, but somehow, still, I find it hard to spread my attention wide enough to also include Belgium…

Anyway, a surprise Blair Athol. I like the distillery and have had a really nice tour and tasting there some years ago. So, that also helps. Let’s find out if this Highlands whisky lives up to expectations!

Sniff:
Toast and roasted malts, a bit of browned butter, pumpkin seeds, banana crisps too. Some old apple, and oak planks.

Sip:
A bit of sharpness with hints of iron and toasted black pepper. Dry oak, apple and a bit of banana sweetness. Roasted malts, coffee beans.

Swallow:
The finish brings some vanilla to the front, and shows the notes of apple, oak, barley. Quite rich and syrupy with a minor note of black pepper for balance.

With Blair Athol being a rather rich and syrupy spirit by itself, I was a bit afraid of how a rich bourbon cask would work out. They can sometimes get a bit too much like apple crumble and custard.

This one, even though it does have some of those characteristic flavors, has more than enough other flavors to be discovered to stay rather interesting.

A rather lovely dram, if I may say so. And this is my blog, so I actually may say so..

87/100