Bladnoch releases Wave II: Distillery & Spirit – second instalment in collection showcasing five pillars of whisky making
Bladnoch, Scotland’s oldest privately-owned Scotch whisky distillery has unveiled Wave II: Distillery & Spirit single malt whisky, the second release in The Wave Master Distiller’s Collection.
The Wave is a five-part limited-edition series which walks through the marrying process of whiskies on a journey, that reveals the five whisky making pillars used by Bladnoch master distiller, Dr Nick Savage.
To create The Wave, Dr Nick Savage selected five Amontillado sherry tuns to be filled with whiskies from various combinations of cask types to marry together from the distillery’s 208-year-old bluestone warehouses for annual release. Each year the cask types will be revealed and depict another pillar of Bladnoch whisky making. The remaining whisky will be decanted into the following year’s tun, creating a common thread and a wave effect throughout the series, with the fifth and final release featuring components of the full collection.
Wave II: Distillery & Spirit shines a spotlight on Bladnoch’s Lowland distillery and spirit character. It has been carefully crafted through marrying a combination of re-charred butts and barrels with first-fill ex-bourbon barrels in the second Amontillado sherry tun, a process which champions the fruity, floral distillery character Bladnoch is renowned for.
Dr Nick Savage, Master Distiller at Bladnoch Distillery, said: “All Bladnoch whiskies start their life with the same exceptional Lowland spirit from our stills, which gives us the common thread throughout our single malts. We can use various cask types to mature out different flavours, but everything has the same beginning. Bladnoch is known as ‘Queen of the Lowlands’ and ensuring we distil a truly consistent Lowland style, encompassing fruity pear drops and floral, freshly cut grass, is the essential starting point for our whiskies and provides the identity of our bold Galloway spirit.
“Through The Wave Collection we aim to take people on the unique journey of our whisky over time. Each cask takes notes from the other, building year on year and Wave II: Distillery & Spirit brings to life how important it is to have a robust distillery style. It highlights our floral, fruity character and our Lowland style and how it pieces together with all our other pillars of whisky making to drive our innovative taste-first approach.”
Bottled at 57% ABV, non-chill filtered and natural in colour, Wave II: Distillery & Spirit is characterised by pear drops, pineapples and ginger. On the nose it opens with aromas of pear drops and summer barley, while there are flavours of baked pineapples with ginger snaps on the palate and the finish is floral and fresh yet spiced.
The launch of Wave II: Distillery & Spirit follows the release of Wave I: Time & Maturation in June 2024 which epitomised Bladnoch’s method of selecting casks at the peak time in their maturation process to ensure optimal flavours in the whisky.
In line with Wave I, Wave II is limited to 1,817 bottles in tribute to the year the distillery was founded. It has an RRSP of £125 and is exclusively available to purchase at Bladnoch Distillery or via bladnoch.com where it can be shipped to more than 30 countries around the world.
To mark the new release, Bladnoch hosted Wave Day on Saturday 14 June 2025. Taking place at the distillery, the one-day festival celebrated Bladnoch’s bold Galloway spirit and the history and heritage of the distillery. It was the first opportunity for whisky enthusiasts from across the globe to sample and purchase Wave II.
Dating back to 1817, Bladnoch Distillery is one of the oldest single malt Scotch whisky producers in the world and is enjoying a bold and powerful revival. The legacy brand has been revived in recent years by David Prior, who purchased Bladnoch Distillery in 2015 and is the first Australian businessman to own a Scotch whisky distillery.
Bladnoch Wave II: Distillery & Spirit Tasting notes
Pear drops, pineapples, ginger
Nose: Pear drops with summer barley
Palate: Baked pineapples with ginger snaps
Finish: Floral. Fresh yet spiced
About Bladnoch Distillery
Bladnoch Distillery was established in 1817, making it the oldest privately owned Scotch whisky distillery in the world. As the southernmost distillery in Scotland, Bladnoch is commonly referred to as the ‘Queen of the Lowlands.’
Hand-crafted using malt from British growers and the pristine water from the River Bladnoch which flows alongside the distillery, Bladnoch single malts are non-chill filtered to ensure the truest flavours shine through.
This legacy brand has been revived in recent years by Master Distiller, Dr Nick Savage, formerly of The Macallan, and owner David Prior, who purchased Bladnoch Distillery in 2015 and is the first Australian businessman to own a Scotch whisky distillery.
Bladnoch has been commended with several high-profile award wins in recent years, most recently at the World Whiskies Awards 2025, where Bladnoch 16 Year Old was awarded gold in the ‘Single Malt – 13 to 20 Years’ category and Bladnoch 13 Year Old taking silver in the same division. In the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2025 Bladnoch was awarded a trio of prestigious awards, receiving double gold medals for each of its Vinaya, Samsara and 13 Year Old Lowland single malt whiskies.
The team at Bladnoch is truly passionate about the preservation of the environment and the local community’s generational involvement in this iconic distillery.
