My friend Oliver, who has been enjoying wonderful drams with me for years, has ventured into bottling some casks under his name on a very small scale. We already reviewed some bottlings here. Now he has a new baby that I consider as a bang for your buck:
Bladnoch
26 y.o. malt mountains No. 5, 1990 – 2016, bourbon barrel, 48,6%
Comment: Sweet and mature nose in great balance. Creme brulee wit loads of vanilla, almonds, white peach, kumquat, gooseberry, grapefruit, pear, cider, kirschschnaps, elder, lime dashes, kurkuma and what not – in parts like a Nahe Riesling Auslese and marzipan cake and Haribo foam mice (sorry!). The palate is equally rewarding, and the oak is not dominant. This mild baby surfs on vanilla and fruit but has enough power to render great aromas. It reminds me of white-chocolate-glazed fruits at county fairs. A dessert in a glass. And at a price around 165.- Euro this is a real steal. Hell of a pick, Oli! Get the remaining bottles on malt mountain’s page, you won’t regret it.
Score: 91