Whisky: Balblair 8 Year (2012), Blackadder

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 57.8%

Cask: Sherry Cask

Age: 8 Years (Distilled 5 Nov. 2012, Bottled 1 Feb. 2021)

Nose: Fruit, chocolate, and a sweet-sour vinegar twang. Figgy jam and chocolate candies wafted out of the glass to the dancing tune of Tootsie rolls, sour plums, and cherries. Hints of cedarwood wrapped around overripe fruits, sticky toffee, and caramel candies. A slight wet-leather funk appeared between strawberry jam, sweetened condensed milk, and maple syrup.

Palate: Medium to light body with berries, tobacco, and chocolate. Fruit preserves with a hint of cream cheese opened proceedings with notions of English muffins and toast. Strawberry jam stood out among dates, figs, black cherries, and blackberries while mellow herbal pipe tobacco— more like leather inundated with the aroma— rose in the background. Chocolate-covered candies and Tootsie rolls lingered at the end with hints of pine, sour cherries, and salted plums.

Finish: Lingering notes of cherry and chocolate cordials.

Score: 6

Mental Image: Bunch Fruit Preserve Tasting

Notes: I would absolutely go to a fruit preserve tasting, and now that this dram has that notion planted in my head, I probably need to make it happen. Even if the wife and I are the only participants, we are doing it in our pajamas on a Saturday morning.

A straightforward and tasty dram, this Balblair from Blackadder was loaded with fruit and chocolate with hints of cream and herbal tobacco in the background. The mouthfeel was lighter than I expected and the finish a tad short. The profile was a bit sweet, and the dram a bit hot— though not in an overpowering manner— but besides those relatively minor deviations from my personal preferences, I thought there was a lot to love on this dram.

The aroma and profile matched each other closely and took me straight to brunch. I was left stranded somewhere between memories of Sunday brunch with the grandparents, at which I only ever remember eating a copious amount of toast and jam (I am sure they must have insisted I eat something else as well), and memories of a Hipster brunch with friends— cereal themed pancakes and local fruit jam. The memories are sweet for different reasons, though I have never lost my love of jam, so anything that reminds me of it strikes an appealing cord.

Overall, I enjoyed this dram. It was simple yet delicious and reminded me of Blair Athol with its slightly tangy rich fruit (and I admit I do occasionally mix up the distillery names). The bottle was strangely absent some of the usual char and grit at the bottom of Black Adder bottles— though that is not a complaint.

Image Credit: The Whisky World