Whisky : Bladnoch 25 Year (1993), Signatory Vintage 30th Anniversary

Country/Region : Scotland/Lowland

ABV : 54.4%

Cask : Hogshead

Age : 25 Year (Distilled 8 March 1993, Bottled 17 July 2018)

Nose : Soft citrus, floral, and grain. Gentle and sweet with notes of golden hay in the sunshine, citrus peel, fresh sawdust, and dried tangerines. Delicate florals came through as apple blossom, honeysuckle, and Japanese pears. Earthy minerals and chalk hung in the background.

Palate : Light and oily with fruit, floral, and grass. Herbal-floral notes gave the impression of a delicate fruity tea— orange and apple blossoms, dried pears, and oolong tea leaves. The mid-palate shifted toward wood and earth with minerals, chalk, kava, pencil shavings, and sawdust which gave way to the drying nuttiness of pecans. Herbs appeared with more time as thyme and mint with a bit of honey and pepper. Slightly bitter oak lingered through the finish.

Finish :  Lingering astringency with subtle honey and herbs.

Score : 8

Mental Image : Barnyard Wedding Reception

Notes : Wow— this Bladnoch was packed full of delicious floral-earthy complexity. It was not hard to see why Signatory bottled this for its 30th anniversary. The totality of the dram reminded me of a barnyard wedding reception— the sort of romantic-bucolic nostalgia of hosting an event in an old barn. The animals have been replaced by a bar and dance floor, the straw is a bit too clean, and the sawdust is fresh and odor-free.

This Bladnoch had a fascinating balance between its light, delicate malt and the cask which imparted a slight oaky bitterness at the end. The dram embodied some of those old oak or old wood notes that some people love, with pencil shavings and sawdust appearing at different moments. The notes of dried grass and nuttiness also put me in the mind of autumn and shucking the mounds of pecans from our trees.

Overall, a delicious Bladnoch with lots to love. I thought this was a perfect dram to relax and mellow out with, the sort of pour that helps the day melt away. Other Bladnochs I have tried have had a similar vibe, and I may keep an eye out to add one to my cabinet now that my old Exclusive Malts bottle is gone.