Berry's Blair Athol 2009 KWM Cask

Tasting Notes

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: thick, rich, and fruity with chocolate and spices; earthy, with hints of Christmas cake, brandy-soaked cherries, and soft leather... this has to be refill sherry; fleshy red berry fruits, earthy oak, and wet leaf litter; some baked red apples (with the peel) and touch of marmalade.

Palate: round, rich, and spicy with more Christmas cake and candied fruits; brandy-soaked cherries, candy apple, and Strawberry Twizzlers; the malt pops its head up, however briefly, quickly overlayed by decadent spice: ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and fennel seeds; soft leather, cold tea dregs with Demerara sugar, and candied nuts; still earthy with an oily coating body; the spices keep building into hot cinnamon hearts, toned down however slightly by Winegums.

Finish: warming, spicy, and fruity, it is medium long in length, dominated by Winegums.

Comment: this is a lovely, lightly sherried malt, which doesn't drink anywhere near as hot as you might think for 59.1%; a great summer dram for those who might typically reach for something darker in the colder months.

Producer Tasting Note

"This fine Highland dram opens with aromas of rich fruit cake, clove, and orange with earthy notes of bark chips and woodlands appearing with time. The palate is luscious and full, showing notes of brandy butter, melon, and  baking spices, along with Blair Athol's trademark stewed apple notes. Cocoa lingers on the palate with waves of warm spices and Dundee cake. A dram that transports you to the serene banks of the River Tummel."

Independent Bottler

One of our favourite independent bottlers, Berry Bros. & Rudd is a stored London-based firm which has resided at #3 St. James Street, a stone's throw from St. James Palace, since 1698. Primarily a wine merchant, they have also played a prominent role in the Scotch whisky industry. In addition to founding the Cutty Sark Blend, and managing the Glenrothes brand for 30 years, BBR is also an independent bottler. We have long been impressed not only by the quality of their independent bottlings, but also their value! 

Berry Bros. & Rudd in Their Own Words

With two Royal Warrants and more than 300 years of history, Berry Bros. & Rudd is Britain’s original wine and spirits merchant. 

We can trace our history back to 1698, when an enterprising woman called the Widow Bourne started an “Italian grocer’s” at No.3 St James’s Street, selling tea, snuff, spices and the most fashionable drink of the day, coffee. The sign of the coffee mill still hangs outside our premises at No.3 today, in tribute to our roots.

In due course, our focus shifted to something a little bit stronger. As wine became important to the business, so too did spirits, and we started bottling casks under our label in the early 19th century, making us Britain’s oldest independent spirits bottler. Three centuries on, the family business continues to flourish, with its heart still very much at No.3.

While much has changed over the years, we are still owned and managed by members of the Berry and Rudd families, and we continue to supply the British Royal Family, as we have done since the reign of King George III. We still, from time to time, weigh customers on a giant set of coffee scales, a tradition which began in the 1760s, with Lord Byron, William Pitt and Beau Brummell among those who have had their weights recorded in our ledgers. Most importantly, we still believe that everything you should look for in a wine or spirit comes down to one simple question: “Is it good to drink?”