Scotch

Scotch Whisky Review: Cask Masters Blair Athol 13 Year Old

$96

OVERALL
RATING

Scotch Whisky Review: Cask Masters Blair Athol 13 Year Old

This Blair Athol, rarely seen as a single malt, was bottled by Cask Masters and showcases decadent sherry cask maturation. A brilliant effort from Brave New Spirits.

by Phil Dwyer
May 6, 2025

Phil Dwyer is a whisky enthusiast, YouTuber, and manager of The Whisky Shop Manchester, UK.

Tasting Notes:

About:

A classic example of decently sherried Blair Athol. The distillery’s house style relies heavily on sherry influence, outside of the millions of litres used for the Johnnie Walker range. Blair Athol is a nutty, sweet, spicy style of Highland single malt that really can push with unexpected flavours from all sorts of barrel influences. This release from Cask Masters is a little more classic, in the sense that it reminds me of all of the rich, decadent sweet things we want and need at Christmas.

Appearance:

Gold

Nose:

That sweet Christmas style sherry. This smells like such a classic example of highland whisky in Oloroso. You’ve got the sweet raisins, milk chocolate, walnuts, hazelnuts, creamy vanilla, buttercream frosting, fresh pastry, cinnamon, red apples and apple pie. A truly wonderful thing to smell.

Palate:

Buttery baked fruit with sweet pastry, baked raisins, Cognac and clotted cream. It has all of these sweet, decadent things running around it that are quickly contrasted by a tang of booziness from sherry, but has this Cognac feel to it as well. Red apples, poached pear in red wine, cloves. A Christmas time delight.

Finish:

Warming, sweet and has just the right amount of spice for a rich style of highland whisky. More of that boozy sherry tang, more red apples and clove. Finishing off with this note of ginger puree and Campari bitterness.

Comments:

A fantastic example of Blair Athol. Easily one of the most decadent and rich things I’ve smelt for a while. Puts a lot of regular sherry cask single malts to shame with the layers it offers across all parameters of taste and smell. If you’re yet to try Blair Athol as a style then I would highly recommend getting your hands on this.

If you’re into sherry cask whiskies in general, this one is great. If you’re yet to jump out of the bigger brand stuff then this is also a shining example of how important independent bottlers are to this whisky world we live in.

Phil Dwyer

Phil Dwyer's passion for whisky is undeniable. With a decade of experience in whisky retail and nearly as long running Whisky Wednesday on YouTube, Phil is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm with fellow whisky lovers. His goal is to make whisky accessible and enjoyable, dispelling the jargon and complexity that can sometimes surround the spirit. In addition to his online presence, Phil manages The Whisky Shop Manchester, where he curates an impressive selection of some of the finest drams available.

All Posts