Balblair

balblair
  • Founded: 1790
  • Status: Operational
  • Region: Highland, Scotland – Edderton, Tain, Ross-shire IV19 1LB +44(0)1862 821273
  • Online: https://www.balblair.com/
Balblair 2005-2017 vintage 2nd release

History Balblair Distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery located in Edderton, Ross-shire, Scotland. Originally founded in 1790, the distillery was rebuilt in 1895 by the designer Charles C Doig to be closer to the Edderton Railway Station on the Inverness and Ross-shire Railway line. However, so good was the original water source that the rebuilt distillery chose to ignore a nearby burn in favour of the original Ault Dearg burn. To this day, the Balblair Distillery continues to use this original water source.

John Ross, the founder, ran Balblair as a thriving business and in 1824 he was joined by his son, Andrew. The distillery stayed in the Ross family until 1894 when the tenancy was taken over by Alexander Cowan. In 1948 the freehold was bought by Robert Cumming, who promptly expanded the distillery and increased production. Cumming ran the distillery until he retired in 1970 when he sold it to Hiram Walker. In 1996 Balblair Distillery was purchased by Inver House Distillers Limited. Balblair has one of the oldest archives in distilling, with the first ledger entry dated 25 January 1800. John Ross himself penned that first entry, which read: “Sale to David Kirkcaldy at Ardmore, one gallon of whisky at £1.8.0d”. The distillery is now owned by Inver House Distillers Limited, whose other distilleries include the Speyburn-Glenlivet Distillery, Knockdhu Distillery, Old Pulteney Distillery and Balmenach Distillery.

The Whiskyphiles tasting notes

Official Bottling
  • Balblair 12 Years Old 2002 Single Cask 680 (2015) - Balblair 12 Years Old 2002 Distillery Exclusive (58%, OB, Bourbon Cask #680, 2012) Highland single malt scotch whisky 58% ABV, £90 for 70cl Score: 86/100 What they say: Distilled in 2002 at […]
  • balblair-1983-1st-release-whisky Balblair 1983 Vintage 1st Release (2015) - Balblair 1983 Vintage 1st Release Category: Highland single malt scotch whisky Origin: Balblair Distillery Bottling: Official – Inver House Distillers Ltd. ABV: 46% Cost: £192.61 What they say: 1983 Vintage Highland Single Malt Scotch […]
  • balblair-1990-2nd-release-whisky Balblair 1990 Vintage 2nd Release (2015) - Balblair 1990 Vintage 2nd Release Category: Highland single malt scotch whisky Origin: Balblair Distillery Bottling: Official – Inver House Distillers Ltd. ABV: 46% Cost: £102.79 What they say: Vintage 1990 Highland Single Malt […]
  • Balblair_Bt_Box91_whisky_detail Balblair 1991 Vintage 2nd Release (2018) - Not as sweet or heavily sherried as the well-loved 1990 vintage it replaces. Offers a slightly different and perhaps more refined experience. 87/100
  • balblair-1999-1st-release Balblair 1999 Vintage 1st Release (2017) - Balblair 1999 Vintage 1st Release Category: Highland single malt scotch whisky Origin: Balblair Distillery Bottling: Inver House Distillers Ltd. ABV: 46% Cost: £61.43 What they say: 1999 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Natural Colour Non […]
  • Balblair_2000_2nd_Release_whisky_detail Balblair 2000 Vintage 2nd Release (2018) - A great balance between distillate and sherry cask maturation, with fruits, spice and tannic wood. 86/100
  • balblair-2005-vintage-1st-release Balblair 2005 Vintage 1st Release (2017) - Balblair 2005 Vintage 1st Release Category: Highland single malt scotch whisky Origin: Balblair Distillery Bottling: Inver House Distillers Ltd. ABV: 46% Cost: £42.23 What they say: 2005 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Natural Colour Non […]
  • Balblair 2005-2017 vintage 2nd release Balblair 2005 Vintage 1st Release (2018) - A second bottling of Balblair 2005 Vintage 1st Release released 2017, slightly sweeter in presentation perhaps? 84/100
Independent Bottling
Cadenhead
  • Balblair 23 Years Old 1990 Small Batch (2014) - Balblair 23 Years Old 1990 Small Batch (51.7%, Cadenheads, Bourbon Barrels, 318 Bottles, 2013) 51.7% ABV, £76.60 Score: 88/100 What they say: The swing tags say bourbon barrels but after checking just […]
  • Balblair 24 Years Old 1990 Authentic Collection (2015) - Balblair 24 Years Old 1990 Authentic Collection (52.2%, Cadenheads, Bourbon Barrel, 180 Bottles, 2015) Highland single malt scotch whisky 52.2% ABV, £78.90 for 70cl from Wm Cadenheads Score: 89/100 What they say: […]
Gordon & MacPhail
  • balblair-1993-cask-strength-gm Balblair 21 Years Old 1993 Cask Strength (2017) - Balblair 21 Years Old 1993 Cask Strength (53.4%, Gordon & MacPhail, Sherry Puncheon #1962, 2014) Category: Highland single malt scotch whisky Origin: Balblair Distillery Bottling: Gordon & MacPhail; Cask Strength; Cask 1962 ABV: 53.4% […]
Scotch Malt Whisky Society
  • SMWS 70.10 Teenage shenanigans (2015) - Balblair 9 Years Old 2005 70.10 Teenage shenanigans (58.5%, SMWS, Refill Barrel, 242 Bottles, 2015) Category: Highland single malt scotch whisky Origin: Balblair Distillery Bottling: Scotch Malt Whisky Society; Cask 70.10 Teenage […]
That Boutique-y whisky company
  • balblair-7-year-old-that-boutiquey-whisky-company-whisky Balblair 7 Years Old Batch 1 (2021) - Entertaining, nice sweet and herbal quality, very volatile in the glass, phenolic - that touch of peat is very present and prominent. Green fruits and waxy pine and herb leaves. 83/100