09/05/2022 Bladnoch

Bladnoch 20yo 1990/2011 (60.6%, The Scottish Liqueur Centre for Càrn Mòr Celebration of the Cask, Bourbon Barrel, C#30005, 194b, b#131): nose: a big alcohol kick that, for some reason, reminds me of a Marc de Champagne. A whiff of green grapes, perhaps? Then, we swap that for a dusty cigar box and old cardboard, both of which quickly morph into soft-leather jackets. Papers, warmed by the sun, and a grassy eau-de-vie (not gin) appear a tad later on, as do roots of one kind or another. There is something spicy and gently fruity trying to pierce through the slab of alcohol, hardly detectable. The second nose adds a drop of rosewater, yet it struggles to make itself known. Meadow flowers show up here and there (daisies, buttercups). A couple of drops of water really help this open up: it suddenly dishes out corn flowers, periwinkles, blue flax and other blue meadow flowers, maybe apple mint too. Further nosing gives this an almost jammy or marmalade-y touch that is most pleasing. Mouth: flowery pastry, if such a thing exists -- and if it does not, why not? We then have the typical Bladnoch-of-the-era markers, which is to say plant sap (vine, ivy), flower bushes (forsythia) and meadow flowers (dandelions), as well as a drop of milk chocolate, mocha Mignonnettes, to be accurate. It is also pretty potent! The second sip sees a blend of peach and fierce lemon juices, nectarine slices with pepper sprinkled on top, all surfing on a milky texture. Water turns the palate more overtly fruity, with peaches, calamansis, Korean pears, not-totally-ripe clementines -- yes, there is citrus, still, though nowhere near as powerful as it was before reduction. Repeated sipping cranks up the jam on the tongue too, sweet and fruity like a good tangerine paste. Finish: bold and muscular, it is nonetheless elegant, with lilac and chocolate custard working hand in hand. Although it remains as powerful as the ABV promised, it is well integrated. Warming: yes; numbing: no. It keeps the acidity of pressed citrus, yet the texture that sticks to the mouth remains milky, somehow. Lactic Acid? Woody notes develop, subtle, yet present alright, and we have ginger yoghurt, galangal shavings and turmeric root. Without surprise, water tones down the alcohol and allows more milk chocolate to come out in the form of clementine-infused chocolate custard. Very pretty it is too! Further sips bring back some mocha, a fading memory, more than a dominating colour. Beautiful. 8/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)