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1stPrize – Balblair 25 Year Old
Balblair 25 Year Old
This indulgent, full-bodied Balblair 25 Year Old is the final whisky in the Balblair Collection and has been matured in ex-bourbon casks before being finished in Spanish oak butts. This has created an elegant single malt with ripe apricot, liquorice and toasted oak aromas. The palate offers notes of chocolate praline, orange oil and fresh tobacco leaves before a warm, smooth finish with hints of dark chocolate and blood oranges.
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery Bottling
70cl / 46%
Distillery Notes – By community member Nigel Elkington
Overlooking the misty waters of Dornoch Firth in the North of Scotland sits the Balblair distillery; focusing on quality and not quantity, they produce exceptional whisky ensuring its taste is as good as possible. It’s never rushed, nor has it been for over 200 years; every drop is crafted with passion, tradition and pride.
The Balblair distillery, one of the oldest distilleries, was created by local man John Ross on the Rosses of Balnagown estate.
In 1824 John Ross was joined by his son Andrew. The Balblair distillery and farm were operated by John Ross’s sons and grandsons until the end of the 19th century.
In 1894 James Ross handed over the Balblair distillery to Inverness wine merchant Alexander Cowan who set out building offices, a mash house, a still house, barns and a kiln transforming the distillery.
Coal for the boiler and still and barley for the malting arriving by rail. A decision was made to move the distillery half a mile north to its present-day site location, taking full advantage of the railway line. Then, in 1911, the distillery ceased production due to the harsh economic times 1932 saw the last Balblair bottles leave the warehouse.
It was the 1939 outbreak of World War 2, and the Norwegian army occupied the distillery shortly after the British military took over the buildings throughout the Second World War.
1948 Robert Bertie Cummings begins his stewardship of the distillery, and production starts for the first time since World War 1. Then in 1949, Bertie buys Balblair for the princely sum of £48000. Then in 1964, Balblair expanded with different warehouses, and the first steam boiler cummings decided in 1970 to sell Balblair to Hiram Walker, whose company would later become Allied Distilleries.
The 1980s and the development of the distillery are on a large scale.
1996 and once again, the distilleries change hands. This time, Inver House Distillers take the reigns and begin a new era. It’s 2007, and the decision is made to release Balblair as a vintage whisky, every bottle carrying the year it was distilled.
