New Blandnoch “Waterfall Collection” Explores Cask Selection Importance

Bladnoch Distillery, noted for being Scotland’s southernmost distillery and one of just a handful that remain independently owned, recently announced the first installment of its five-part annual Waterfall Collection, exploring the importance of cask selection in the maturation process of whisky making.

“The Waterfall Collection gives us the opportunity to develop a whisky in a very fluid way that highlights the maturation journey a single whisky can take in five years,” said master distiller Nick Savage, who’s developed a range of new products for Bladnoch’s lineup since joining the team in 2019, in a prepared statement. “Each year we will decide the cask types for the next stage of the waterfall maturation, but only when we fully understand how our whisky has evolved and matured in the previous year.

“This approach enables us to present the journey of this finite and ever reducing liquid, and showcase how the quality of whisky is assured at Bladnoch, in a way like never before.”

As the distillery describes it, “each release in the Waterfall Collection demonstrates a different way the same aged Bladnoch Single Malt can be matured in oaked casks, resulting in a completely unique taste. To cover the five years of releases, sufficient aged Bladnoch Single Malt has been set aside from a combination of sweet ex Bourbon casks and intense Oloroso Sherry casks that are maturing in the archives.

“In this first year, Dr Savage will sample the whisky at the beginning of its maturation journey and in each ensuing year, the remaining liquid will be decanted into a new type of cask for a fresh layer of finishing where the character will develop further.”

Only 1,000 bottles will be unveiled with each annual release, starting with Batch 1 of the Waterfall Collection in limited stock. You’ll find some official tasting notes for it below.

• ABV: 48.8%
• Nose: Raisins, lemons and subtle orange peel
• Palate: dried apricots with lemon cake
• Finish: medium, with sweet freshness and a slight warming