Bladnoch distillery is located at Bladnoch, Wigtownshire and as such is within the Lowlands Scotch whisky region.

It was founded by T. McLelland in 1817 and remained within the family until it was closed in 1938.

The ownership changed many times between the closure and 1956, but during this time it was never operational until a company called The Bladnoch Distillery Ltd bought it in that year and began production again.

Ian Fisher bought The Bladnoch Distillery Ltd in 1964 and expanded it by adding two more stills in 1966.

Bladnoch was bought by Inver House in 1973 who kept it for ten years before selling it onwards to Arthuer Bell & Sons in 1983 and then became United Distillers in 1985.

1993 Saw the distillery close once again as it was converted int oa heritiage centre.

Raymond Armstrong bought Bladnoch in 1994 and after almost total renovation, he opened it for production in 2000.

More great distillery info here, thanks to Malt Madness

 My thanks to Les Taylor for permission to use these distillery photos

Bladnoch, new make spirit, 63.5% ABV

A rare chance to try some new make!

Nose: My first thoughts on the nose were immediately "Just like a great grappa!". Seriously, I don't wish to be facetious, but this has all the aroma and character of a magnificent grappa. It's extremely floral with lots of perfume and then, after a good 5 or 6 nosings, slight citrus elements.

Palate: An initial assault on the front of the tongue tells me this is strong, very strong. It's sweet and floral, even offering a flavour reminiscent if lily. But it needs water.

With 4 drops of water: The nose is weakened but as for the palate; wow. Great. It's now more spicy but still tasting like a fantastic grappa.

Overall Impression: Please bottle this and sell it!

Bladnoch, 6y, bourbon cask, 56.9% ABV

A special Bladnoch forum bottling

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Nose: Light, slightly floral and fresh. It's hard to identify the aromas, but one can certainly compare this with the new make spirit just tasted.

Palate: Creamy and gloriously smooth. This is wonderful for a 6yr whisky. The aftertaste, immediately after swallowing is very strong creamy vanilla and lots of it.

With 3 drops of water: There is now vanilla on the nose, but not so much on the palate or in the aftertaste. It is also now much more spicy, but it hasn't lost the smoothness. A very long finish.

Overall impression: Very good. I wasn't expecting too much from a 6yr Bladnoch, but this is surprisingly good and highly recommendable.

Bladnoch, 6y, sherry cask, 56.4% ABV

A special Bladnoch forum bottling

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Nose: Slightly sweet with faint caramel / toffee. I was wanting or hoping to find sherry and perhaps some banana on the nose, but it just wasn't happening.

Palate: Fiery with lots of tingle, this one is not so smooth, unlike the bourbon cask. I immediately wanted to add water to see how it would react.

With 3 drops of  water: Just three drops greatly improved this. It is now much more smooth and more rounded, but the finish is really quite short.

Overall impression: I was highly impressed with the bourbon variant, but this one was a little disappointing. I believe it's just too young. It needs a few more years for the sherry cask to do its job. I would love to try this after perhaps 15 or 20 years

JWWW (Jack Wieber) 'Auld' series, Bladnoch 16y, 50.1%, one of 120 bottles

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Nose: Liquorice and vanilla with a strong scented bouquet of flowers

Palate: Vanilla, honey and cereal

With 3 drops of water: Much more honey. Almost lemon sponge cake with custard.

Overall Impression: I like it.

An old Italian Import;  P. Mackenzie & Co. Ltd Bladnoch 8y, Gradi 43%

Typical cost of this bottle (now); €€€€€

Nose: Rose petals, hay and sea air

Palate: Oily, hydrangea petals making a floral statement in a bed of sea air, malt and light toffee.

Overall Impresison: very good, but very different.

Douglas Laing 'McGibbons Provenance' (Autumn / Winter), Bladnoch 12y, distilled 1991, bottled 2003, 46%

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Nose: Liquorice root in an old potato field

Palate: Spicy roots but tasting rather tired.

Overall Impresison: very different and not one of my favourites.

G&M ‘Connoisseur’s Choice', distilled 1989, 40% ABV

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Nose: Wet leaves after fresh rain on a country lane.

Palate: A hint of banana over fresh herbs and straw. This builds slowly on the palate and once there, it stays for quite some time.

Overall Impression: I am generally a Bladnoch fan and although this one is slow to show its delights, it does grow into a most enjoyable experience on the palate. A good dram and well worth exploring.

G&M ‘Connoisseur’s Choice', distilled 1991, bottled 2005, 40% ABV

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Almond

Nose: Light and fresh malt, grasses, hay and a touch of liquorice root. In some respects this is also slightly nutty.

Palate: Soft and gentle fruits alongside grasses and hay. That fruit is initially hard to determine, but is along the lines of peach and melon. Quite intense melon, possibly galia or cantaloupe.

Finish: Long and soft with gentle fruit.

Overall Impression: I see that my above review was for the 1989 G&M release and although this 1991 version has some similar characteristics, it does have more fruit and is considerably more gentle, or soft, or creamy .... Anyway, I like it, more so than the 1989.