Edradour Ballechin 10 Years Old

An official release of Ballechin, a 10 year old, at 46%. Ballechin is the peated expression of Edradour, named after a long lost peated farm distillery nearby. It once supplied blends such as House of Lords and King's Ransom.

The spirit was distilled from heavily peated malt in tiny copper stills and worm tubs, for a heavy, smoky spirit with an oily depth. An Oloroso cask held it, shaping the oily spirit over the years. In integration lactones (coconut) and vanillin (vanilla) join the smoke, the dried fruit deepening beneath. Refill oak lets the rich, oily Edradour character lead the way. It was founded in 1825, growing out of an old farmers' cooperative in the glen above Pitlochry. A 2018 expansion added a second still house, the production still small and traditional. A small distillery and a hands on approach shape every cask by hand. A rare Morton refrigerator still cools the wort, one of the last in use in Scotland.

At 46% it is creamy and full. Peat smoke, dried fruit and a nutty oil, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. It is rich and smoky, the oily spirit shining through. The finish is rounded, smoky and gently spiced. This is Ballechin's heavily peated, oily style.