Bladnoch distillery was founded in 1817 and, located along the River Bladnoch, is the most southerly distillery in Scotland. It is the fourth-oldest distillery in Scotland and, owned by Australian businessman David Prior starting in 2015, is the oldest independently owned one. The distillery produces for two brands; one the main Bladnoch brand and the other called Pure Scot. Their current master distiller is Dr. Nick Savage, and they have been producing whiskies from a mix of new and aged stock since the brand’s relaunch in 2017. The Bladnoch Vinaya is matured from a mix of first-fill bourbon casks and first-fill sherry casks. Vinaya is a Sanskrit word meaning respect and gratitude, and is meant as a warm acknowledgement to the distillery’s founders.
Tamdhu Batch Strength
Though Tamdhu was able to get off the ground and running fairly quickly after opening their doors again in 2012, for the distillery had only been closed a few years prior and there were still stocks to make use of. While there are currently two age statement offerings in the portfolio, the rest of the main line is comprised of No Age Statement scotches, like this Tamdhu Batch Strength. First introduced in 2015, this scotch comes in at cask strength but is released in yearly batches that differ slightly in percentage year to year. Like all Tamdhu offerings, this is aged entirely in ex-Spanish sherry casks from Spain.
The Glenlivet 16 Year “Nàdurra”
The name of this whisky is Gaelic for “natural.” It claims to “stay true to the style of whisky that was enjoyed in the 19th century. [1]” Whether that’s true or not, it’s pretty damn satisfying in the 21st century. This review features a version sold at a slightly higher cask strength than the standard, which is at 48% abv). Glenlivet has subsequently rolled out the Nàdurra as a semi-regular offering much in the same vein as Laphoraig’s Cairdeas series, where every release is unique unto itself. This Nàdurra is comprised of 16 year scotch and aged in New American oak barrels.