Bladnoch 12 Year
2017 marked the 200th anniversary of Bladnoch. The southernmost distillery in Scotland, it was once known as “Queen of the Lowlands.” Living in the shadow of regional brethren Auchentoshan and Glenkinchie, it has closed several times due to a variety of circumstances. The current owner, David Prior, is the first Australian to own a Scottish whisky distillery. The latest relaunch in 2016 was aided by legendary Master Blender Ian MacMillan, which means this bottle of Bladnoch 12 contains product from an earlier period in the distillery’s storied history. This whisky comes with either the distillery on the label or a sheep (like ours).
Oban 14 Year
Oban is part of the large Diageo conglomerate that has a dozen Scotches under its brand. Whether you like your single malt to be produced under the shadow of a corporate overlord or not, there can be no denying the whisky’s quality. Oban is a picturesque town in the west of Scotland facing the island of Kerrera and the Isle of Mull. The town grew up around the distillery that was founded in 1794, and was aided by a poem about the area by Sir Walter Scott (Lord of the Isles). The geography places a large part in forming this whisky, perched as it is against the sea while at the same time never far from the rich hills and valleys of the interior. The distillery only has two offerings, this 14 year and the Distiller’s Edition. You can be sure it is high on Scotchology’s list of places to visit, both for the town and for the Scotch.