Balblair

Introduction:

Balblair Distillery is known for its fruity and sweet character, often accompanied by notes of freshness, grass, or hay. Some of their malts are matured in a way that balances these flavors with spiciness or oak influences.

In the past, Balblair didn’t produce their own distillery bottlings, relying on Gordon & MacPhail for all their single malt releases. Even today, you can still find many Gordon & MacPhail bottlings of Balblair. However, the distillery has embraced a modern bottle design since 2019, when they updated their core range. Previously consisting of vintage bottlings, Balblair now offers three standard expressions: a 12-year-old matured in Bourbon casks, a 15-year-old finished in Sherry butts, and an 18-year-old aged in both Bourbon and Sherry casks. The range also includes a rare 25-year-old with a Sherry cask finish.

The Production:

With a production output of nearly 1.4 million litres per year, Balblair Distillery has seen significant growth. They source their water from the Allt Dearg water source, utilizing it for both whisky production in the mash tun and various processes such as cooling.

The Pot Stills:

Balblair Distillery employs a wash still with a capacity of 19,000 litres and a spirit still holding 11,500 litres. The flat-shaped stills without reflux bowls or constrictions result in a smooth and fruity character. Two spirit stills enable a lower distillation speed, allowing for better separation of alcohols and the production of the desired Balblair profile.

The Maltings:

Balblair rarely uses peated malt and relies on a reliable second-hand Porteus malt mill for grinding their malt.

The Mashing:

With a stainless steel mash tun, Balblair prioritizes energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. The mash tun can accommodate 4.4 tonnes of barley grist in one mashing process, divided into three lautering processes. The longer mashing time of over 6 hours contributes to achieving a “clear wort.”

The Warehouses:

Balblair has numerous dunnage-style warehouses, known for their slow maturation process with minimal evaporation. The whisky is filled into casks at a higher alcohol strength than other distilleries, around 68.5%, and predominantly matured in Bourbon casks and American hogsheads, with a small portion in Sherry casks.

The History:

Established in 1790, Balblair distillery has a rich history that includes unofficial distilling records dating back to 1749. The distillery saw significant improvements in the late 19th century and was refurbished and relocated closer to the railway for better transportation connections. It changed ownership multiple times and eventually ended up with Inver House Distillers in 1996.

The Visitor Centre:

Balblair Distillery welcomes visitors year-round and offers three types of distillery tours, including a personalized tour with a masterclass led by the distillery manager.

Visitor information:

Balblair Distillery
Balblair
Edderton, Tain
Ross-Shire IV19 1LB
Tel: +44 (0)1862-821273