1988 Blair Athol 26yo K&L Exclusive – The Return of Sherry-Aged Brilliance – Scotch Whisky News
Last year we purchased a super saturated sherry butt of Blair Athol exclusively for K&L that blew every other single malt in stock out of the water. Few people knew the name Blair Athol at that time—the Johnnie Walker-owned Highland distillery that primarily supplied its whisky to the Bell’s Blended label—but after tasting that fudgy, decadent 25 year old selection we had customers going absolutely bananas in an attempt to get more. On our most recent visit to the Signatory warehouse (coincidentally located just down the street from Blair Athol), we snagged the very last of this legendary stock. It’s now one year older, meaning there’s one year’s worth of extra richness, extra spice, and extra texture. If you’re a Macallan fan, or a fan of big, bold, toffee-laden single malts, then this is the whisky for you. If you’re still lamenting the loss of last year’s Blair Athol cask, then we recommend buying two bottles this time around.
Last year’s cask of 1988 sherry-aged Blair Athol from Signatory drove our customers into such a frenzy that we still get phone calls asking about it over a year later. The big, rich, caked-in-sherry flavor blended beautifully with the soft-fruited core of the Highland whisky’s profile, creating an absolute beast when bottled at full proof. We’re happy to announce to all those who’ve been begging us for more that we were able to return to Signatory this past spring and purchase the lone sister cask to that beloved Blair Athol, bringing one last batch of that sherry-matured magic to K&L customers one last time. Whereas last year’s cask showcased all the sweetness and sugary spice that Oloroso sherry can offer, this whisky is much drier and earthier on the palate. It’s full of coffee bean, dried prunes, and burnt almonds, lingering far longer on the finish with a more dynamic finale of dried earth and savory splendor. It’s a fitting finale to one of the most talked-about and requested whiskies in K&L history. We’re happy we were able to finish out the legacy with a bang!
David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 14, 2016
After the Blair Athol craze of 2015 at K&L, we immediately called our friends at Signatory and had them hold the last sherry butt in their warehouse. Signatory has long had a relationship with the nearby distillery and they’d been sitting on these ultra-rich casks of whisky for some time. This whisky is an absolute beast of malt. It’s brimming with cakebread, Christmas spice, cocoa, and toffee. At cask strength, it can withstand a few drops of water quite well, which only open up more of that complexity. Unfortunately, I can’t call Signatory and ask for more after we sell through this barrel because this is the last one. Alas…
Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 07, 2015
An expressive, rich and round single malt that is full-bodied. It is packed full of flavor with the sherry barrel aging showing itself. Malty and dried fruit flavors are part of the delicious flavor profile.
K&L Wine Merchants http://www.klwines.com/ Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637) Email: wine@klwines.com San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA
