Whisky: Blair Athol 12 Year, Hunter Laing’s The Sovereign for K&L

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 59%

Cask: Sherry Butt

Age: 12 Year (Distilled March 2009, Bottled March 2021

Nose: Funky leather, rubber, and fruits. Elementary school days: pop rock candies, grape jelly, pencil erasures, expo markers, trapper-keepers, and new shoes. Subtle earthiness cut with umeboshi (pickled plums)and mud baths or hot springs.

Palate: Medium-bodied with hints of fruit, earth, and sherry funk. Preserved plums danced across the palate with streamers of dried kelp and a dusting of red dirt. Were those notes of burnt popcorn, smoked nori, or dried kelp? The sherry funk moved in strange directions as subtle notes of grape and berries settled beneath modeling clay, woody resin, and limestone cave water.  

Finish: Lingering dry earthy sweetness with clay 

Score: 3

Mental Image: Self Care & Mud Masks

Notes: I heard this was a wild ride and replete with a less than pleasant sherry-sulfur funk. I allowed the dram a good long while to rest in the glass, hoping that some of the thicker, almost rubbery notes I smelled on the initial pour would fade. Giving this a bit of time to rest helped, and during a second tasting, I made sure to provide it with even more time.

I typically try to let a whisky have a bit of a rest before diving in to let the aroma fill the head of the glass and, in the case of a really pungent dram, the entire room. I find that whiskies tend to have a bit less of a bite when they have had a moment or two to breath, especially for a dram like this, which was poured out of its original bottle into a smaller 2oz vial so I could tuck it away and taste it at home.

While this was not the most extreme sherry sulfur I have ever encountered, it was a prominent part of the experience. I found plenty of those classic sulfur rubber notes of pencil erasures, new shoes, and burnt popcorn. It was not precisely an off-putting level of sulfur funk. The dram was remarkably dry and earthy, with fruit peeking out from the corners. It brought to mind the Arran Devil’s Punchbowl III, which had a similar very dry and earthy profile that recalled modeling clay, gravel, and mud baths. While I am not a fan of an overly saccharine sherry cask influence, I have not enjoyed these dirty-earthy casks either.  

Overall, I thought this was interesting, and while I would accept a pour if someone offered me one, I would never order this otherwise. It had an intriguing set of flavors, but I wish more of the funky-fruity Blair Athol spirit came through.  

Image Credit: Whiskybase