Balblair 8 Years Old (MoM)

Bottled by Master of Malt as a 8 year old single cask release drawn from cask 10519/138 of Balblair distributed to the German market at cask strength of 55.6%. Master of Malt is a UK based independent bottler and online retailer, focused on small batch single cask releases at natural strength alongside the Darkness finishing series.

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 Moscatel and Oloroso sherry cask for 8 years of on site maturation.

Early stage maturation showed layered fortified wine character. The Moscatel stage brought Muscat grape terpenes including linalool and geraniol for floral honey and candied citrus, alongside concentrated fructose for sweet body. The Oloroso stage then added European oak ellagitannins and gallic acid for dried walnut, rancio, and sotolon driven dried fig, integrated with Balblair's Highland coastal character at 55.6%.