Description

Blair Athol 2008 Aged 14 Years Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Infrequent Flyers #88 (700ml)

Volume: 700ml           ABV: 53%           Age: 14 Years Old           Country: Scotland

Cask Number: 807413
Date of Distilling: 2008
Matured In: a Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon with a Pedro Ximenez Sherry Cask Finish
Un-Chillfiltered

Independent bottlers, have been around for a many years. They source whiskies from different distilleries throughout Scotland and around the world, and using their experience bottle them as single casks. These whiskies are then presented in their most natural form which includes no chill filtering, bottling at natural colour, and more options at cask strength.

Established in 2008 The Alistair Walker Company is based in Grangemouth in Central Scotland. Alistair has almost 20 years experience in the whisky industry and is not affiliated to any one distillery. Alistair’s career in the whisky industry began in January 1997, at Burn Stewart Distillers in a sales and marketing role for over six years. At that time Burn Stewart was the custodian of two single malt distilleries – Deanston and Tobermory. In October 2004, he joined The BenRiach Distillery Company, and remained with them for over twelve years, until the business was eventually sold. This was a new-start business, that had been set up in 2004 following the acquisition, by three entrepreneurs, of the BenRiach Distillery from Pernod Ricard. In addition to BenRiach, Alistair also had the good fortune to work with the GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh Distilleries, with BenRiach having acquired GlenDronach in 2008, and then Glenglassaugh in 2013. In 2018, Alistair found himself on hiatus, and contemplating what to do next.

Keen to be his own boss and also wishing to remain in the whisky sector, he decided to venture into the exciting world of independent bottling. Making the move from distillery to independent bottler is very much a case of ‘gamekeeper turned poacher’. Fortunately, independent bottling is a vibrant category at present; as more and more whisky enthusiasts are seeking out single cask bottlings and whisky releases that are a little different, somewhat unique, and often from less familiar distilleries.

The whiskies the are bottled under the brand name ‘Infrequent Flyers’. That name refers to the nature of many of the casks that are bottled – often whiskies from lesser-known distilleries that are of excellent quality, but have never been widely or consistently available. As such, many of the bottlings are of whiskies that you just don’t see so often – hence the name ‘Infrequent Flyers’.

The Blair Athol Distillery is located near Pitlochry in the Highlands of Scotland. Blair Athol was originally the estate village of the picturesque Blair Castle, at whose gates the distillery now stands. The distillery was licensed in 1825, on the site of an older distillery, and was purchased by Arthur Bell and Sons in 1933. Since then the distillery was purchased by the Guinness Group in 1985. Running 4 stills, the distillery produces approximately 2,300,000 litres annually.

This single cask single malt whisky was distilled at the Blair Athol Distillery before being placed in a Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon. It was then finished in a Pedro Ximenez Sherry Cask Finish cask for a period. Bottled at 53% abv and marks bottling number 88 of the Infrequent Flyers series.

Only 680 bottles were produced for worldwide distribution.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Some nice depth here… Intense aromas of cocoa, figs, apple strudel and baked fruits

Palate: Delicious, full-bodied, viscous and chewy. Molten brown sugars combine with dark chocolate and crème brûlée. Morello cherries, treacle and a touch of mocha. A hint of star anise perhaps? There is much happening here, but it all seems very well knitted together.