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Berry Bros. & Rudd Blair Athol 2009 (Cask #307592) Review

Explore the Blair Athol 15-Year-Old Highland malt, a limited edition from Berry Bros. & Rudd. Aged in sherry and hogshead casks, this Scotch offers rich dark fruit and nutty notes, perfect for sherried whisky aficionados.

OVERALL RATING

10
$131
  • Mark Bostock, a whisky enthusiast specializing in independent bottlings.
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Tasting Notes

About:

A 15-Year-Old Highland malt from Blair Athol, released as part of independent bottler Berry Bros. & Rudd’s Single Cask: Crafted in Cask collection. Distilled in 2009, and matured for 15 years in a hogshead cask, before a finishing period in a Pedro Ximénez ex-sherry cask. Only 253 bottles were produced, bottled without artificial colouring or chill filtration at natural cask strength of 53% ABV.
Appearance:
Dark Amber
Nose:
Opens with rich and spicy Pedro Ximénez sherry intensity, lead by stewed raisins, figs and dates, alongside notes of raspberry and plum. There are also notes of toasted nuts, including hazelnut.
Palate:
A thick and richly sherried mouthfeel, almost chewy with a hint of treacle. Dark fruits with distinctive notes of plum, damson, and raspberry, giving way to sweetness of chocolate-covered raisins. There’s a background hint of leather.
Finish:
An earthy note with a touch of nutmeg spice leads into a long finish. Raisins alongside cinnamon and all-spice, before toasted nuts return at the close.
Comments:
As Blair Athol’s only official bottling is a Flora & Fauna 12-Year-Old expression and the majority of the distillery’s output is destined for Diageo’s blends, independent cask strength bottlings offer the chance to really showcase Blair Athol’s distillery style. Most often, Blair Athol releases use sherry cask maturation.
The Pedro Ximénez sherry cask is the dominant influence upon this Berry Bros. & Rudd Blair Athol, with clearly defined notes of dark stewed fruits and spice. Berry Bros. & Rudd do not state the length of the finishing period, but given the colour and sherry influence I wonder if a first-fill Pedro Ximénez cask was used for finishing. Blair Athol’s nutty character is also quite distinctive, and I liked the vibrant dark fruit notes of damson, plum and raspberry particularly when followed by the earthy note which leads into the finish.
A great example of a well-finished sherry cask influenced Blair Athol, this is a very moreish dram. One which sherried whisky fans will love – and one of the standout bottlings for me in Berry Bros. & Rudd’s: Crafted in Cask collection.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Mark Bostock

Mark Bostock, an integral part of the Mark Littler LTD UK content writing team since 2019, brings a genuine passion for whisky, especially independent bottlings, to his work. His commitment to expanding his knowledge through attending tasting events and building his own collection enriches his contributions, blending expertise with enthusiasm.

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