The Whiskies you need to Savour this World Whisky Day

World Whisky Day (18th May) is the annual and global call to all whisky lovers, dram in hand, to come together in celebration of the water of life, all you need is a bottle of whisky! Choosing what whisky to drink though, is the difficult part.

But for this year’s #WorldWhiskyDay, we’ve done the picking for you, which means we’re savouring something special to us here on Spirits Kiosk - Bladnoch Distillery, the Spirit of the Lowlands, and the oldest ‘new’ Whisky distillery in Scotland.

Let’s get tasting (but first a little sip of context)…

2015 saw owner and Australian businessman, David Prior, acquire the Bladnoch Distillery and with a prodigious passion for Scotch and a strong desire to restore the heart and soul of the local community, and so, Bladnoch quickly embarked on an exciting new chapter.

But they are not new kids on the block by any means. Bladnoch has 200 years of rich whisky making history flowing through every part of the distillery, making it the oldest privately owned Scotch Whisky Distillery in the world. Officially relaunched in 2017 with three new expressions, Bladnoch Distillery finally reintroduced their iconic Single Malts. And it’s these delicious drams that deserve to be back on the radar of discerning whisky drinkers.

Why is Bladnoch so special?

Steeped in history, Bladnoch Distillery is not only one of the few remaining Lowland distilleries in Scotland, but is the most southernly Scotch Distillery, sourcing water from the Bladnoch River and malt from British growers.

But what does this mean for taste? Well, Bladnoch showcases the unique Lowland style of light, floral and grassy notes, making room for a truly delicious and accessible dram and why we strongly suggest savouring this highly respected whisky for World Whisky Day. Whisky novices and connoisseurs alike, you are bound to find your new favourite expression with Bladnoch.

Bladnoch Whisky is respected in the industry for their pursuit of perfecting the craft of innovative whisky making. When it comes to taste, all eyes point to the skill of acclaimed Master Distiller, Dr. Nick Savage, who is dedicated to creating the best of the best. The scale in which Bladnoch Distillery produces Scotch Whisky allows for an immense attention to detail, giving the team time to carefully craft their spirits to ensure only the finest whisky is bottled. And you can definitely tell…

The very DNA of Bladnoch stems from a culture of constant progress with the freedom to try and fail in the pursuit of excellence. Liberated by taste, this ‘taste-led’ focus frees the team to embrace flavourful diversity in unexpected ways, allowing them to confidently craft an eclectic range of whiskies, each offering something different. And at Bladnoch’s core is a legacy of perseverance, which today manifests itself as a hunger and enthusiasm to bring the joy of Lowlands whisky to as many people as possible.

With all that said, you’re probably wondering what some of the expressions taste like so let’s get onto the drams we’re recommending you sip on not just for World Whisky Day, but all year round.

Bladnoch Vinaya

Bladnoch Vinaya is the first hero expression we recommend getting your hands on. ‘Vinaya’ is a Sanskrit word meaning respect and gratitude. The message behind the liquid is to pay homage to the original founders of the distillery while encouraging Bladnoch to continue looking forward to an exciting new era of production and innovation.

Vinaya is matured in a unique combination of 1st fill Bourbon and 1st fill Sherry casks, resulting in a delightfully floral whisky. The aromas released from this ‘summer-barley field’ coloured liquid can be described as sweet floral grass with boiled sweets. Your first sip will have you thinking of fresh green apples and chocolate with a hint of pepper - let that settle on your palate, and enjoy a light, refreshing finish before going in for a second sip.

We urge you to try this one neat, on the rocks, or with a drop of spring water. Vinaya is bottled at 46.7% to fully capture the whisky’s complexity, so a simple first serve will encourage you to savour the intricacies of the dram first hand.

Shop Bladnoch Vinaya here.

Bladnoch 11yr Single Malt Whisky

This 2023 release of Bladnoch 11yr is an an award-winning Single Malt, matured exclusively in ex-Bourbon casks and imparting delicate floral aromas of honey, refreshing citrus and freshly cut grass. To taste, you can expect this lemon-gold liquid to give you an experience of floral parma violets, fresh cut apples and hints of wood spice, before a sweet and refreshing finish.

This is all thanks to Dr. Nick Savage who hand selects every cask that brings this refreshing expression together.

Shop Bladnoch 11 Year Old Single Malt here.

Bladnoch 19yr Single Malt Whisky

For those on the search for a more indulgent and delectable treat, look to Bladnoch 19yr Single Malt - the first PX Sherry expression released by the Bladnoch Distillery.

The flavourful casks impart enticing notes of dark liquorice sticks, dried apricots and warming nutmeg held in a dark sunset and golden-hued liquid. The iconic floral background is still detectable but it’s the aromas of aged oak that makes this expression stand out.

Shop Bladnoch 19 Year Old Single Malt here.

Bladnoch 30yr Single Malt Whisky

Time for an extra special whisky and Bladnoch’s oldest release, a 30-year old Single Malt Scotch aged in two exceptional and rare casks maturing in Bladnoch’s historic Bluestone warehouse.

The exquisite Oloroso Sherry and Moscatel casks impart delectable aromas of Seville oranges and floral apricot. This copper coloured dram exudes rich almond and marzipan flavour on the palate backed by more seville orange that carries through to taste. All being said, you can expect a surprisingly light and fruity finish with a hint of cracked black pepper.

With rare releases though, you have to act fast. Bladnoch 30yr is limited to a 950-bottle release world wide, so if you do get your hands on this beautiful whisky, make sure to savour it with the respect and time it deserves.

Shop Bladnoch 30 Year Old Single Malt Whisky here.

The whiskies listed above are only a select few of the tasty drams plucked from Bladnoch’s extensive range that we have here on Spirits Kiosk, but there is so much more to discover. There’s Bladnoch Samsara, matured in Californian red wine and Bourbon casks. Bladnoch Liora, which showcases the variability in whisky production and the skill of the Master Distiller. Bladnoch Alinta, an indigenous Australian word meaning ‘fire’ and ‘flames’ evoking notes of campfire embers found in each sip of Bladnoch’s first peated expression.

If whisky story telling though is more your thing, we highly recommend you looking into Bladnoch’s ‘Dragon Series’ here. Inspired by the Dragon Curve in mathematics which exemplifies the timeless battle between science and nature, the series encourages whisky enthusiasts to enjoy a range of flavour profiles that illustrate whisky evolution.

But if you’re thinking that we’ve pushed the boat out a tad too far for whisky novices and looking for a exemplary dram to splash into cocktails, the Pure Scot Blended Whisky range from Bladnoch is the one for you.

Cheers to World Whisky Day 2024 and discovering your new favourite whisky!