1991 Berrys' Own Selection Blair Athol, Highlands, Single Malt Whisky, 46%
About this SPIRIT
Blair Athol Distillery, Highlands
Established in the picturesque town of Pitlochry, the Blair Athol Distillery is one of the oldest working distilleries in Scotland. Blair Athol is another of the handful of distilleries that were founded in the final years of the 18th century.
When the activities of the Blair Athol distillery actually began, is not known, as it was an illicit operation left undocumented. The introduction of the new licensing laws was followed by a revival of its fortunes in the hands of John Robertson. A long string of different owners followed in rapid succession. Eventually, it was acquired, along with Dufftown Distillery, by blenders Arthur Bell in 1933, but it stayed out of production until 1949 when it was rebuilt.
Arthur Bell became part of Guinness in 1985, which then formed part of the UDV Group (United Distillers and Vintners Diageo). Only 5% of the production is marketed as single malt, and the remaining part is sold to blenders. The distillery and the whisky are still closely identified with Bell’s blends.
Blair Athol single malt 12-year-old is fresh and gently peaty with aroma and flavour, which become quite pronounced and lengthy at the finish. It is noted for its tangy, spicy-fruit quality and its very mellow texture. Special Releases, including a 23-year-old, have been bottled in recent years.
(Adapted from the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2024)
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
Blair Athol is located to the south of Pitlochry in the Vale of Atholl, Perthshire. This area is often described as the gateway to the Highlands. The foliage covered distillery buildings have occupied the site since 1798 making Blair Athol one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries.
Lemon balm and mint aromas emerge with fresh apples and green melons. The palate has a creamy texture with a balance of oak tannin, spice and fresh fruit. This is a refreshing summery sort of dram.
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