Blair Athol Trio

Blair Athol 13 years old, vintage 2011, bottled at 57,7 % abv by Signatory Vintage

First things first: Distilled on 30 September 2011, this Blair Athol was fully matured in a first fill Ruby Port hogshead, before it was bottled on 14 April 2025, so a little over a year ago. Cask # 6 was added to the Cask Strength Collection in those chunky perfume bottles. 

Upon Sipping: Difficult to nose with this high strength, but we pick up some lovely strawberry scents, which is never a bad thing. Obviously, the Ruby Port rubbed off on this Blair Athol, full maturation is ballsy indeed! The taste is rather austere and closed up. Only on the finish do we get a good dash of strawberry maltiness. I am not off the impression that this is over the top, but rather the high abv is a bother. With water, the nose releases some earthy notes, and damp warehouse. Wet wood, bung cloth. Some perfume, after a while. The finish is now a tad too woody, and the bitterness takes quite some charm away. 

Word to the Wise: I am afraid this bottling is just too austere to really enjoy. That is a pity, have we finally found a whisky that can stand up against a heavy influence, which Ruby Port undeniably is, it still does not work. 

Score: 76 points.

Blair Athol 12 years old, vintage 2012, bottled at 57,7 % abv by SMWS

First things first: Distilled on 9 March 2012, this Blair Athol received a finish in a first fill Toasted Oak Barrique. For SMWS # 68.129 exactly 203 bottles were filled for the Whisky Wanderers Festival 2025 under the name “Luxury in a sultan’s tent”. 

Upon Sipping: Another high abv, actually exactly the same as the Ruby Port from Signatory, but this one is more talkative. Fresh oak shavings, saw dust and vanilla. Not much else. I fear this toasting of the cask may have been too thorough. It also unlocked a soapy, perfume note. On the palate, I like it better, but of course a lot of new wood, before it turns too hot to handle. The finish however, is a different story. This is where an extremely fruity raisin infused note displays itself. Very unusual, very tasty, I like it a lot. With water, the nose pushes back on the wood notes and releases more fresh fruit, some apples and pears, maybe even something more exotic. The taste also improves a lot, with lots more freshness and a fruit basket to explore. With some pineapple and peaches mixed together, we can see ourselves travelling through the desert in the sultan’s wake. 

Word to the Wise: Very nicely done. After a shy start on the nose for this Blair Athol, the toasted oak starts delivering. It turns rather fruity in the end. Joyful stuff, perhaps suffering a tad from the high abv. Play with water and you won’t be disappointed.

Score: 85 points.

Blair Athol 12 years old, vintage 2008, bottled at 59,5 % abv by SMWS

First things first: Distilled on 26 August 2008, this Blair Athol matured in a first fill ex-bourbon barrel. For SMWS # 68.59 only 216 bottles were filled under the name “Crunch or crackle?”. 

Upon Sipping: The highest abv of this session, and whisky as pale as a ghost in the glass. Quite a perfumed nose, for as far as we can discover at this high abv. We won’t try further. For now, we only pick up vanilla. The taste is nice and oily, showing the true character of Blair Athol very well, but it all remains rather one-dimensional on vanilla and wood spices. Let’s drown this one! Lots of petrichor as a result of that. The mouthfeel is now silky soft, which is really enjoyable. Plain wood, however, results in plain whisky. One can seriously ask why this was bottled, if not for truly displaying what Blair Athol smells and tastes like without the interference of sherry wood. It is good, but not a standout. However, we like naked whisky, so we are happy. Still, I do think Blair Athol works best on a more daring cask. 

Word to the Wise: Dull whisky, but very focused and concentrated. This bottling displays why Blair Athol is the ideal malt to bulk out your blended Scotch and give it body. Educational.

Score: 82 points.