Blair Athol 12 yr Agent Ivy Trapped Whiskyheroes Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 55,1%

The label could have been torn from a 1960s comic. Behind it sits something considerably more serious: a single first fill bourbon cask from Blair Athol, bottled without filtration.

Expert description

Blair Athol 12 Years Agent Ivy Trapped is a Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky from 1st Fill Bourbon Hogshead #308050, bottled at 55.1% without chill filtration and without added colour.

The Whiskyheroes series comes from Brave New Spirits and takes its visual language from old comics and B-movies. Behind the colourful labels sit single cask bottlings from Scottish distilleries, chosen for the character of the cask rather than the name value of the distillery.

A first fill bourbon cask gives more wood than a refill, and it shows: vanilla, maple syrup and pale fruit take up more room than they would in a used cask. All 257 bottles come from the same hogshead.

Tasting notes

Nose

Green apples and evening meadow, with maple syrup and a pale, sweetish grain note.

Palate

Papaya, thick honey and ripe bananas, cut through by white peppercorns and a clear oak edge.

Finish

Long and sweet with honey and pepper slowly drying out.

Specifications

Name: Blair Athol 12 Years Agent Ivy Trapped Whiskyheroes Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 55.1%
Distillery: Blair Athol
Bottler: Whiskyheroes
Region/Country: Highlands, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 55,1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st Fill Bourbon Hogshead #308050
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 257
Edition: Agent Ivy Trapped

Flavour profile

Fruity · Honeyed · Spiced · Tropical · Powerful

Investment potential

Medium. A single cask bottling of 257 bottles from a series with clear collector appeal thanks to the label artwork.

Did you know?

Blair Athol closed in 1932 and stood silent for nearly twenty years until Arthur Bell & Sons reopened the distillery in 1949 to secure malt for their blend.

See our full range of Blair Athol
See our full range of Whiskyheroes

Frequently asked questions about Blair Athol 12 Years Agent Ivy Trapped Whiskyheroes Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 55.1%

What is a first fill bourbon cask?

A cask that has held bourbon and is now being used for whisky for the first time. It is still full of aromatic compounds from the American oak and gives pronounced vanilla, coconut and sweetness.

Why only 257 bottles?

Because the whole bottling comes from one hogshead. Cask size and twelve years of evaporation decide the rest. There will be no more of this exact whisky.

What kind of series is Whiskyheroes?

A series of single cask bottlings from Brave New Spirits where each bottle gets a label inspired by classic comics. The whisky is picked for the cask — the label is the wrapping.

Is it peated?

No. Blair Athol works with unpeated malt, and the cask is a bourbon cask with no peat character. For smoke, look under Peaty Whisky.

What does non-chill filtered mean here?

That the fatty compounds giving the whisky body and mouthfeel are allowed to stay in the bottle. The whisky may go cloudy at low temperature, but the texture is fuller.

Who is this whisky for?

For anyone who prefers sweetness and fruit over smoke and sherry, and who is not put off by high strength. It also makes a fun gift thanks to the artwork.