Don’t waste your money!

Treat your palette to the best.

Savour and tick every sensual box and pour yourself at least a Scottish two-finger measure of an unforgettable experience – treat yourself to, undoubtedly, the world’s best single malt whisky, revered and recognised around the globe, and generously stir your passions.

Fill your glass with a large dram from the Balblair boutique single malt portfolio, but then wait… wait… and anticipate your enjoyment of the golden nectar; swirl the liquid around your glass tumbler, then lift it to the light and admire the purity of the colour. Bring the vapours to your nose and inhale deeply several times. Close both eyes to envelop your brain in Balblair’s tantalising esters that will cause extreme anticipation of the intoxicating flavours waiting for you, ranging from succulent apricots and aromatic spices to nutty chocolate praline and woody tobacco – a journey of magnificent tastes wonderfully wrapped in an unforgettable encounter – the satisfying and fulfilling statement of the supreme craft and art of distilling and maturing the much sought after, collectable and low-volume Scottish Balblair whisky.

AND… unbelievably… throughout our tantalising anticipation of the flavours in store for you, we haven’t savoured a single drop of our generous Scottish dram! However, before we put that to right, let’s find out why Balblair has built a rock-solid and magnificent distilling pedigree over the last two centuries, firmly planting the name as the only single-malt whisky to buy, savour and enjoy.

By the magic of the prehistoric Picctish stone, Clach Biorach, the ‘Sharp Stone’, inscribed with a mysterious Z-rod symbol (seen on Balblair labels) that has stood to attention and alone for over 4,000 years near Edderton in Scotland, let us chat with the father of Balblair whisky, a forthright family member of the Ross Clan – John Lockhart Ross who, in 1760, became the 18th Laird of Balnagown.

The year is 1790.

“Where and why did you begin Balblair whisky near Edderton?”

“My distillery was borne on a remote Ross-Shire, Northern Scottish Highland hillside, in the craggy shadow of Struie Hill, where there is a plentiful supply of pure water from the Ault Dearg burn running down to the Dornoch Firth. In this year of our Lord, I obtained the licence to distil whisky at this place. Combining nature’s gift to us with spring barley from the Black Isle, influenced by the waters of the Moray Firth and the crisp, salty air from the North Sea, they transform into our unique and truly unique whisky. My son Andrew, and then, as you will see from future history books, his sons and grandsons run the distillery for just on one hundred years.”

In 1894, Alexander Cowan, who took control of the tenancy, modernised the distillery and added offices, a still and mash house, kiln and barns.

Then, the railway came.

The enormous strategic advantage of this new transport to bring coal and barley to the distillery made it worthwhile for Alexander to build a new complex half a mile north to where it is today.

Unfortunately, the 1930s Depression did not help Balblair, causing the company to shut down, with the last whisky leaving the warehouses in 1932.

During the five and half years of WW2, the Norwegian Army occupied the premises. However, Balblair whisky would not be confined to history, when in 1948, a Banff solicitor, Robert James “Bertie” Cumming, paid £48,000 for the distillery. He ran Balblair until 1970, when Hiram Walker became the new owner – a takeover that began Allied Distillers.

Since 1996, Balblair has been under the safe stewardship and umbrella of Inver House Distillers Limited.

Any of the extraordinary Balblair single malt whiskies is a complex creature requiring meticulous nurturing and attention throughout its many stages of life; this parenting is achieved through the application of not only a multitude of traditional crafts but also modern methods of production and management, executed in unparalleled detail and with dogged commitment by the distillery’s ‘family’ workforce – a team with over 140 years of distilling.

At the helm of these devoted Balblairians is a Doon Hamer, the name given to someone born in Dumfries; David Rogerson, the newly appointed Distillery Manager, has a highly influential position and will continue the navigation of the existing and future portfolio of astonishing Balblair single malts to be known throughout the world over the next decades to come.

David joined Balblair in April 2024, having had a meteoric rise through his education and working experience. In 2015, he achieved a First-Class Honours degree in brewing and distilling at Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University. He worked for Charles Wells and then Marston’s Eagle Breweries, absorbing the craft of brewing and becoming Brewing Team Leader.

Returning to his home in Scotland as Head Brewer at WooHa Brewing Company and Production Manager at the Cairngorm Brewery Company, he could feel his fate calling him.

An idyllic and unforgettable family trip to Islay to celebrate his father’s birthday was always nudging David toward his future whisky distilling career. They toured the island’s legendary distilleries, where his dad’s passion for single malt whisky impressed the young Rogerson. With the picture-postcard rural isolation of the distilleries and the employees’ inherent community spirit, David, even at a young age, could feel and understand the passion for continuing the ancient art and craft of distilling. The result was an overwhelming desire to be part of that life.

“I left the island with a very romantic view of Scotch whisky, but it was a formative experience and it’s what put me firmly on the path to a career in the industry.”

In June 2022, the magnetic draw of whisky brought him to Speyburn Distillery as Assistant Distillery Manager, where, like blotting paper, he absorbed distilling knowledge, craftsmanship and management experience.

“Speyburn was everything I had hoped for from a job in Scotch whisky. That sense of being part of one big family, a collective pride in making brilliant whisky, and the beauty and tranquillity of the location.”

Filling the well-trodden shoes of a legendary whisky distiller is a tough call, especially that of one with an unparalleled reputation for practising the absolute pinnacle of craft and production. When affable John MacDonald retired in April 2024 as Balblair’s Distillery Manager after 35 devoted years of service to his beloved whisky, the job opening fulfilled David’s dream of being at the helm of a world-beating single malt company.

Joining Balblair, he reassured everyone about the future of the distillery by saying, “Balblair is the ultimate picture-postcard distillery, with a long and fascinating history, a slow, quiet respect for craft and tradition, and a determination to do things the way they’ve always been done for over two centuries. I’ll be making no quick changes and instead see myself as a custodian of what has gone before, honouring the distillery’s past and building on John’s legacy.”

Pouring a dram of Balblair, retired John MacDonald always hesitates and waits to savour his whisky; his philosophy towards his Scotch and his life is based around anticipation – anticipation of the enjoyment and satisfaction of what is to come.

John’s enjoyment of expectation can be seen in an atmospheric film called ‘Precious Time’ 1 by internationally acclaimed Scottish photographer and director David Eustace see Balblair Precious Time.

John MacDonald is the star of the film, which encapsulates his values towards Balblair whisky: “At Balblair, time is a defining part of who we are. We take our time, and we believe in quality above all else, which is why our produce is worth the wait.”

Film director David Eustace says 2, “The Highlands and distillery allow me to stop and reflect on much that’s truly important… the moment and how precious the time to savour it is. The beauty lies, quite simply, in slowing down and finding moments to experience time.”

He continues, “An unrushed approach to their craft is key to Balblair’s success and this is something that the film aims to communicate. I also hope that the film encourages the audience to reflect on their concept of time and those moments to savour for themselves.”

Making an important point, David states, “One of the most enjoyable parts of whisky, for me, is that moment before you drink it. The key shot of the film is when John lifts the glass, looks at it and the film cuts just before he drinks it. This is because that moment is his time, his enjoyment. That is the precious time.”

David concludes: “Precious Time means different things to different people. Time passes slowly at Balblair, the distillery embraces this in everything they do, so the whisky will never be rushed. Their quest for perfection is endless so they can share their very best single malt with the world. Everything is taken at a slower pace, without compromise.”

And how does one simply describe each aged whisky offered by the devoted Balblair team – the company’s portfolio of single malts? Unfortunately, the following descriptions are slightly repetitious: the 12-year-old – is sublime; the 15-year-old – is sublime; the 18-year-old – is sublime; the 21-year-old – is sublime; and finally, the most sublime of all is the 25-year-old. And this single adjective accolade given to each whisky is not an exaggeration.

Let us take a closer look at the contents of the stacked whisky casks stashed away in Balblair’s 18th-century, earthen-floored dunnage warehouses.

Please bear in mind when you experience each generous dram of these magnificent whiskies, you are tasting the past 35 years of devotion to Balblair’s single malt perfection by the now retired Master Distiller, John MacDonald.

So, let us start with his 12-year-old single-malt Scotch whisky.

The 12 is a whisky that defines the expression of Balblair’s Highland distillery, which strikes an elegantly delicate balance of fruit, spice and sweetness. There is a combination of bright citrus and creamy vanilla aromas with ground spice and dried orange slices to taste due to the maturing in American oak ex-bourbon and double-fired American oak casks.

Try this charismatic single malt with an orange-infused milk chocolate for a beautiful tasting experience.

Next is the 15-year-old single malt Scotch whisky, a perfectly rounded and velvety single malt that merges tropical character with the rich texture of smoothly melted chocolate to create a superb finish. This whisky’s creation is due to its maturation in American oak ex-bourbon casks, then brilliantly followed by the rich influence of first-fill Spanish oak butts. Mature and mellow in style, aromas of leatherwood honey and spiced gingerbread open up flavours of rich chocolate and sweet tropical fruit.

Combine this velvety smooth single malt with a sophisticated honeycomb of 60% dark chocolate for a truly delicious experience.

Rising the sublime scale is the Balblair 18-year-old single malt Scotch whisky. The 18 is perfect for late autumnal evenings which promises perfect balance, staying true to the bright, fruity style of the Balblair distillery. Again, this whisky is matured initially in American oak ex-bourbon casks, then in first-fill Spanish oak butts, which adds depth and charisma. From the rich toffee and baked pear aromas to the juicy apricots, seasoned oak and vanilla custard come through together on your palate.

The perfect pairing for this masterful whisky is a high-quality 80% dark chocolate.

The Special 21-year-old single malt Scotch whisky is perfect, having matured in American oak ex-bourbon casks for 15 years; however, its distinctive character is built further by an extended maturation period. The delights of this single malt are tropical flavours of mango and pineapple laced with warming notes of clover and ginger.

Finally, we have the epitome of the Master Distiller’s craft, the 25-year-old single malt Scotch. John MacDonald has nurtured this whisky for over a quarter of a century within American oak ex-bourbon casks and then reshaped it in Spanish oak for exceptional complexity. Balblair’s flawless single malt has developed a depth of full-bodied indulgent intensity, with aromas of richly sweet apricots and dark liquorice contrasting with polished oak – a perfect choice among the most discerning whisky drinkers and collectors.

And what is good enough to pair with this golden nectar? It has to be a decadent milk chocolate praline to enhance the oily citrus flavours and compliment the faint note of tobacco leaf, which leads to a perfect, warm finish.

So… let us begin a tour of Balblair

Approaching the collection of industrial buildings housing the distillery, you are transported back to the 19th century, especially entering the rare unheated and earthen-floored dunnage warehouses; these unique buildings keep the hundreds upon hundreds of meticulously chosen whisky casks, made from oak and stacked five high, at a cool temperature and advantageous humidity level – a natural environmental umbrella perfect for maturing the precious single malts.

Standing in the middle of this cask paradise, you can smell the pungent earthy atmosphere and feel surrounded by cob-webbed ancient roof timbers and rusting cast-iron columns and beams. One can easily imagine – probably by the magic of the prehistoric Picctish standing stone, Clach Biorach – that you are wearing 19th-century clothes as a Balblair distillery worker. This time slip can be a strange but inspirational experience during your distillery tour – you must try it.

Everyone at Balblair is looking back with pride at the distilling traditions continuing to this day. However, the company is smack up to date with implementing modern production and management technology. These forward-looking measures ensure the distillery’s raw materials’ sustainability, with the distillery heading towards drastically reducing its processes’ carbon footprints. For example, installing heat exchanges within the water circulation pipework has significantly reduced energy requirements by reusing waste heat from the distillation processes.

Heading further into the courtyard area, you will see that the 19th century surrounds you: a tall red brick chimney looms over, encompassed by iron rings to ensure its continued longevity. Tall, richly coloured and patinaed stone architecture, sporting a square pagoda style slate-covered tower and ventilation capping, unchanged since built by Alexander Cowan, looks at you as you enter the malting section of the distillery, where malted barley is produced.

At this point, let us take a précis trip around the major parts of Balblair whisky production and how the wonderful and mesmerising process works.

Let us start with barley germination.

Barley from the Black Isle is soaked in large steep tanks for two to three days, then regularly turned to encourage germination. Germination makes the starch soluble and more straightforward to convert into sugars; the process is halted by drying the barley in a hot kiln.

Next, the germinated malt is milled into a coarse flour called grist, to which several amounts of hot water are added to extract the sugars in a mash tun – this process produces a sugary liquid called wort.

Fermentation is required to produce alcohol, so yeast is added to the wort in large round Oregan pine containers called washbacks. The yeast feeds on the sugars, producing carbon dioxide and alcohol.

The feeding lasts about three days when the alcohol content of the liquid is 5 to 7% by volume and termed wash.

A significant part of producing alcohol is in the distillation process, which uses fantastic sculptural works of art constructions of copper sheets called pot stills.

The first distillation occurs when the liquid wash is heated to a point where the alcohol becomes a vapour, which rises to the top of the washstill and is condensed back into liquid. A more potent alcoholic liquid is produced, known as low wines, with a 20 to 30% alcohol content.

Then, the low wines are passed into a second still, called the spirit still, which raises the alcohol content between 60 and 70%. The finished liquid is termed the new make spirit.

A spirit safe is a special box where the progress of the spirit is monitored. The person in charge of the stills uses their innate skill to select the best spirit from the middle cut of the distillation – this spirit is of the highest quality and used to produce Balblair’s single malt whiskies.

Maturation of the whisky is the last and extremely long process. The new young whisky is decanted into oak casks, the shape you would see in any Pirates of the Caribbean film. Over time, the casked new make spirit has its alcohol by volume reduced to between 40 and 45%.

Balblair’s decades of maturing each beautiful single malt may cause many drinkers to cry since each cask’s whisky will evaporate dreadfully; in fact, it is a significant amount and is colloquially known as the angel’s share.
Lucky angel.

Differing maturing times affect the complex flavours of Balblair’s single malts, with their extended maturing times to 18, 20, 21 and 25 years being rare in the industry and costly to maintain; however, the grandness of these single malts maintain their value, especially amongst whisky connoisseurs throughout the world who appreciate drinking the finest results of Balblair’s distilling expertise.

In 2022, in the London-based IWSC – International Wine and Spirit Competition – Balblair whiskies won five Gold Outstanding and Gold awards. The 12, 18 and 25-year-old whiskies received the highest accolade from the judges – the coveted Gold Outstanding medal. These awards have continued with Balblair’s 15 and 17-year-olds, which won Gold at the 2023 competition.

The famous artist Salvador Dali once said, “Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.”
He was wrong.

Balblair’s distillery has achieved perfection since 1790 and will continue to do so way into the future.
You should experience this perfection.

“1 Precious Time film & 2 David Eustace quotes – Copyright © David Eustace 2024. See David Eustace
All photographs of Balblair’s range of whiskies and the distillery buildings and landscape view, Copyright © International Beverage Holdings Ltd.

All other photographs by Peter Sissons, Copyright © Peter Sissons 2024. See Balblair for their range of whiskies and the fascinating story behind them.”

Or, if Scotland is out of reach at the moment, partake in pure indulgence and purchase a Balblair single malt from The Whisky Exchange.

If you come to Scotland to visit the Balblair Distillery, try the wonderful Dornoch Station Hotel – Dornoch Station
or Links House Hotel

Written by Peter Sissons for Luxuria Lifestyle International