Balblair 6 Years Old 2011 Cask #636 (A.D. Rattray)

Bottled by A.D. Rattray in 2017 as a 6 year old single cask release drawn from cask 636 of 2011 vintage Balblair with 306 bottles distributed to the European market at high cask strength of 59.7%. A.D. Rattray is a family run Scottish independent bottler founded in 1868 by Andrew Dewar Rattray, now run by the Morrison family.

Distilled at Balblair distillery in Edderton, Easter Ross in the Northern Highlands, founded in 1790 by John Ross and owned by Inver House Distillers under ThaiBev since 1996. The wash is made from unpeated malted barley with soft Allt Dearg Burn water from the hills above Edderton, mashed in a stainless steel semi lauter mash tun and fermented for 48 to 62 hours in six closed wooden washbacks of Douglas fir and Oregon pine. Balblair runs the spirit through one wash and one spirit still of classic stumpy, flat top shape, both steam heated with shell and tube condensers, with new make collected at around 68% ABV. The spirit was filled into a single Pedro Ximenez sherry cask for 6 years of on site maturation.

Early stage maturation showed European oak Pedro Ximenez chemistry. Ellagitannins and gallic acid from the European oak build dried walnut and grip, while extended fermentation residues drive high concentrations of sotolon, lending dried fig, raisin, and dark molasses. Glycerol carryover from the sweet sherry adds body, integrating with Balblair's Highland coastal character at 59.7%.