Appearance: Showing a brilliant old-brass colour courtesy of the bourbon wood and that unique concentration through the ageing process.

Nose: this whisky jumps out of the glass with notes almost reminiscent of a great White Burgundy. Crushed river stones and struck flint alongside golden delicious apple and herbes de provence come across on the nose.

Palate: The palate is gentle as one would expect from the lower ABV but it is oily and viscous with a sensation of scented candle followed by sea salt, delicate earthy peat and a return of that golden delicious apple note.

Finish: Extremely long and gentle with the initial notes of crushed stones mingling with sea salt and stewed orchard fruit.

Wine Advocate (98)

This twelve-year-old Highland Single Malt was distilled in 2008 at the Blair Athol Distillery along the banks of the River Tummel. Drawn from a single, undersized 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel previously used by the Koval Distillery, it is a youthful pale golden colour with bright aromatics of red apple and pear as well as fine vanilla and warm baking spices. A generous, well-balanced highlander from one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland dating back to 1798, this is a personal favourite and a fitting first bottling of the Stiùbhart Single Cask Selection. Bottled at a natural cask strength of 58.9% without chill filtration or added colouring.

Blair Athol is one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, tracing its foundation back to 1798 when it was originally set up as the Aldour Distillery, in reference to its water source, the Allt Dour - or Burn of the Otter. Located on the outskirts of the Victorian spa town of Pitlochry in Highland Perthshire, Blair Athol, along with neighbouring Edradour are two of the final vestiges of Perthshire's long lost farm distilleries.

In addition to its proud heritage, Blair Athol is also one of the most visually striking distilleries with many of the original buildings as well as an impressive dunnage where the finest casks slumber patiently waiting to be bottled. Only two official bottlings have ever hit the market; the standard, heavily sherried 12 year old and a limited edition 23 which shows the longevity of Blair Athol's spirit.

A key component of the Bell's blend of whiskies, Blair Athol is praised for its fruit-driven style with subtle earthy - not smokey - peat influence courtesy of the ancient moorlands over which its water flows. A mellow malt; the quintessential old highland gentleman, Blair Athol has as much of a bright future as it does a storied past. It is only a matter of time before the reputation of this much loved distillery catches up with the ineffable quality of their whisky.

A single cask Islay malt matured in undersized ex-Bourbon barrels previously used to mature Bourbon whiskey at the Koval Distillery, showcasing Caol Ila’s classic oily maritime qualities with aromas of sweet, earthy peat, sea breeze and iodine alongside pungent, warming spices evoking cinnamon, cumin, smoked pepper and cardamom. A finish laced with eucalyptus and dried mint makes for a restrained, finessed Islay with a long, dynamic finish. Bottled at a natural cask strength of 58.1% without colouring or filtration.

The second bottling from the Stewart Whisky Company in their Stiùbhart Single Cask selection, released in March 2021 at 13 years of age in a limited run of just 132 bottles.