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Bladnoch Distillery
The Bladnoch distillery (pronounced BLAD-Noch) meaning Place of small splinters. Bladnoch distilleryis a Single malt Scotch whisky distillery in south west Scotland. It is one of six remaining Lowland distilleries, located at Bladnoch, near Wigtown, Dumfries and Galloway. The distillery is situated on the banks of the River Bladnoch, and is the most southerly whisky distillery in Scotland.
Bladnoch distills and sells Single Malt whisky, blended whisky and new make spirit.
Bladnoch has a typical Lowland character, soft and smooth malts, offering a gentle, elegant palate reminiscent of grass, honeysuckle, cream, ginger, toffee, toast, salinity and cinnamon.
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Owner
Bladnoch Distillery Limited
David Prior -
Status
Operational
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Country
Scotland
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Region
Lowland
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Production type:
Single Malt
Blends -
Founded
1817
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Production yearly
1.500.000 Liters
History
It was 1817 when John and Thomas McClelland took out a licence to make whisky on their farm in the hamlet of Bladnoch near Wigtown in the far south-west of Scotland. It stayed in family ownership until 1905, when it was one of many stills to close during a period of over-supply and low sales.
Bladnoch is not far from the sea crossing between Stranraer and Larne and twice in its history its saviours have come from Northern Ireland. The first of these was Belfast distiller Dunville & Co. which owned the Royal Irish distillery. It bought Bladnoch in 1911 and continued production – albeit intermittently – until 1937. At that point, Dunville’s directors were spooked by (Scottish-based) DCL’sdeclaration that Irish whiskey had no future. After DCL turned down the chance to buy the firm, it went into liquidation, despite being profitable and having stock. Bladnoch was closed once more.
Worse was to follow. Its new owner, Ross & Coulter, sold off Bladnoch’s mature stock and sent the distilling equipment to Sweden – and so the story continues, with owners coming and going at rapid rate. Bladnoch reopened in 1956, was expanded to four stills in 1966, became part of Inver House for a decade, and then in 1983 was bought by Arthur Bell & Son. After Bell’s was taken over it was folded into Guinness/UD [now Diageo] and production once again slowed. In 1993, it was officially decommissioned.
The year after, however, two brothers from Northern Ireland bought it with the initial idea of turning the extensive site into a holiday village. A change of heart soon after saw them wishing to start making whisky again – contrary to the terms of sale. It took six years to persuade Diageo to allow them to make 100,000 litres a year – below capacity and as it turned out right on the limits of profitability.
Most of the distillery’s income came from tourism, events and the extensive warehousing rented out to other producers. Production remained intermittent with mothballing taking place in 2009/10. In 2014, the brothers placed it into administration.
In July 2015 Australian businessman David Prior, along with ex-Scotch Whisky Association CEO, Gavin Hewitt, announced the purchase of Bladnoch and plans to restore the distillery to its former glory.
Ahead of its reopening in 2017, three single malts created using existing stocks of Bladnoch (Samsara, Adela and Talia), were released in limited quantities in Australia, the UK and other global markets.
Production at Bladnoch offically restarted in June 2017, with the flow of a grassy, malty Lowland-style spirit.
Timeline of Bladnoch
“Whilst we are celebrating our 200th anniversary, the renaissance chapter of Bladnoch Distillery is only just beginning”
David Prior
Owner of Bladnoch Distillery
Distillery Facts
- All
- Gallery Item
Taste profile
Medium bodied
High in Floral, Fruity and Sweetness notes
Medium Malty, Winey, Smoky and Spicy notes
Core range
At this point Bladnoch’s core range is:
- 10 year old Celebrating 200 years
- 11 year old First release
- 11 year old 2020 release
- 17 year old Celebrating 200 years
- Adela Celebrating 200 years
- Samsara Celebrating 200 years
- Vinaya
- Talia / 2020 release
- Waterfall Edition
- Boilermaker House X
Archive bottles:
- 6 year old lightly peated / 2008
- 6 year old bourbon cask matured. 2008
- 6 year old sherry cask matured/ 2008
- 8 year old distillery label/
- 8 year old royal wedding bottleing/ 2011
- 8 year old 1 st edition label/ 2009
- 9 year old
- 10 year old /2012
- 10 year old flora and fauna /2005
- 10 year old Christmas edition 2012
- 11 year old sherry matured/ 2013
- 12 year old distillery label
- 13 year old distillery label /2004
- 13 year old St. Valenine’s day /2006
- 14 year old 2021 release
- 14 year old 2020 release
- 14 year old distillery label/ 2004
- 15 year old sheep label/ 2008
- 16 year old sheep label/ 2008
- 16 year old /2005
- 17 year old homecoming Scotland 2009
- 17 year old distillery label/2010
- 17 year old Obama inauguration
- 18 year old distillery label/
- 18 year old sheep label/2010
- 18 year old beltie label /2009
- 19 year old distillery label
- 19 year old beltie label /2009
- 20 year old / Distillery label/ 2010 release
- Bladnoch 2000 Select Cask / 2019 release
- 21 year old
- 22 year old
- 22 year old /Distillery label
- Bladnoch 29 year old / Bicentennail Release
- 30 year old
- Bladnoch Christmas Spirit /2018 release
- Bladnoch Heavily Peated
- Bladnoch Dew Peated new make
- Bladnoch Distiller’s Choice
- Bladnoch Talia Rare Release / 2016 release
- Bladnoch Talia Celebrating 200 years / 2018
- Bladnoch Heavily Peated
- Bladnoch Samsara /2018 release
- Bladnoch Samsara Limited Release / 2016 release
Vintage:
- 1977 rare malts selection /2001
- 1988 bicentennial /2018
- 1990 distillery label/ 2013
- 1990 new label/ 2010
- 1990 sheep label/ 2009
- 1990 new label/ 2013
- 1990 The Spirit of the Lowlands
- 1990 Jamaican Rum/ 2006 release
- 1992 Sheep Label/ 2008 release
- 1992 Christmas/ 2009 release
- 1992 Limited Edition/ 2015 release
- 1992 Sherry Matured / 2009 release
- Diomhair’eachd 30 year old /1990
Blends:
- Bladnoch Pure Scot Virgin Oak
- Bladnoch Pure Scot Signature
New make Spirit:
- Bladnoch Spirit Drink
Bottels Archive
All the bottles released by Killchoman sorted by year.
Started from past until present.
Coming soon
The Waterfall collection
- 1st edition (2020)
- 2nd edition (2021)
- 3dr edition (2022)
- 4th edition (2023)
- 5th edition (2024)
Bladnoch Single Cask
- Bladnoch Single Cask 2005
- Bladnoch Single Cask 2006
- Bladnoch Single Cask 2007
- Bladnoch Single Cask 2008
- Bladnoch Single Cask 2008
- Bladnoch Select Cask 2009
Distillery Tours
Discover how Bladnoch and Pure Scot whisky is crafted first hand with a tour through the key sites of the 203 year old distillery. Tour includes a tasting of two of our favourite releases and a sample of new make Bladnoch spirit at the conclusion.
DURATION:
About 1 hour
DRAMS
2 drams
COST
£14 per person
Discover how our Master Distiller created the Waterfall Collection, visit the maturing casks and taste three Bladnoch Expressions including the latest of our Waterfall Collection. A free Glencairn glass will be given to each person. This tour will last 1.5 hours allowing your guide to go into more detail on the production and maturation processes. Making it perfect for those looking for a more technical tour.
DURATION:
About 1.5 hours
COST
£35 per person
For something more personalized and tailored to your group, please contact the Visitor Centre Manager, Rosie on
Visitor center
