Together with the lovely Tullibardine 2006 Decadent Drinks also released this Bladnoch 1990. It is a Special Edition in the Whisky Sponge range so it comes in the beautiful hand blown cognac bottle.
We had a couple of these 1990 casks a few years ago, which were already very good. I’m glad someone kept this aside.
Bladnoch 33 yo 1990 ‘Special Edition’ (55,4%, Decadent Drinks 2023, refill bourbon barrel, 50 btl.)
Nose: starts on lovely waxed papers, buttery notes and honeyed porridge. Hints of vanilla ice cream and stewed plums, as well as ripe bananas and whiffs of papaya. Then increasingly citrusy. Buttercups. A bit of a muddy element and musty herbs too, hard to describe. Almost rancio, certainly not off-putting, just rather bulky in a way.
Mouth: big stuff. Some mirabelles and quinces, lime, mint, dried grasses and hints of vanilla cake. Whiffs of camphor even. Then it moves towards citrus peels, pears and more of this buttered toast. Some white pepper and leather but never woody. Hints of clay, as well as a herbal bitterness in the end.
Finish: long, still balancing stewed orchard fruits with drop of grass juice and something malty and funky.
I’ve never been the biggest fan of Bladnoch distillery, but this I like. A great waxiness with sweet, lightly tropical fruits, citrus and a few grassy touches. Already sold out from Decadent Drinks and I’m not sure there’s an allotment for retailers.