It seems ages ago since I tried a Bladnoch. Wait a minute, five years indeed! Of course the distillery went through rough years and I’m not sure it will become popular if you look at the pricing standards of its new Australian owner.
Anyway, here’s a Bladnoch 1990 in a new Chinese mask series from Sansibar.
Bladnoch 1990 (47,2%, Sansibar ‘Chinese mask label’ 2016, sherry cask, 117 btl.)
Bladnoch 1990 (47,2%, Sansibar ‘Chinese mask label’ 2016, sherry cask, 117 btl.)Nose: great, it’s the Lowlands profile alright, but a rather rich version. Lemon wine gums, oranges, peaches, lime, papaya. A little honey and vanilla. Bright, fresh, lightly floral as well. Nice to see it’s so fruity and less grassy.
Mouth: ah, grassier now, but only until it bursts into fruits. Grapefruits (yellow and pink), mango and very nice whitecurrant. A light lemon / ginger combination, adding to the freshness. Growing more zesty towards the end.
Finish: long, drier, with mint, hints of walnuts and bittersweet Seville oranges.
A very refreshing Lowlander, and the fruity core (with tropical hints) makes it really great, even for someone who is generally not a big fan of the distillery. Around € 210.
Score: 89/100