Bladnoch 21 Year Old 1990 Single Cask Collection

This Bladnoch was distilled in the ear of United Distillers, so before the Irishman Raymond Armstrong came along in 1995 to take over. The Austrian Single Cask Collection bottled this cask in 2011 after a 21 year maturation on a bourbon hoggie. This is only my third Bladnoch and again one at 21 years of age. Go figure.

The nose is very clean, sweet on sugar candy but with and edge. Breakfast cereal and butterscotch. Even something farmy, which I find surprising. Rather closed, though. Needed time. Slightly floral. Lavender? Wet grass. Lemon peel.

On the palate, it is immediately bitter which is a shame. Oily and very spicy (white pepper, liquorice). Zesty as well. Grapefruit. Caramel. It tries, but the bitterness is too strong in my book.

The finish is medium long, but the sweetness is felled by the tannins.

Not a bad Bladnoch, but too bitter to be really good.

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