Blair Athol 2011/2024 Adelphi Selection 13 Years Old Single Highland Malt Whisky 58,3%

288 bottles for the entire world, and very few of them reached Denmark. Adelphi picks casks by taste rather than by name, and a first fill bourbon barrel from Blair Athol is exactly the kind of find the house is known for.

Expert description

Blair Athol 2011/2024 Adelphi Selection 13 Years is a Single Highland Malt Whisky from First Fill Bourbon Barrel #305319, bottled at cask strength, 58.3%, unfiltered and without added colour.

Adelphi was founded as a distillery in Glasgow in 1826 and returned in modern times as an independent bottler. The house is known for tasting its way to single casks and bottling them without compromise, and the same philosophy sits behind the Ardnamurchan distillery Adelphi built in 2014.

The cask gave 288 bottles after thirteen years, which points to a barrel with normal evaporation. First fill American oak gives the whisky pronounced vanilla and coconut, which Blair Athol's heavy spirit has the body to carry.

Tasting notes

Nose

Vanilla and coconut with baked banana, honey and a layer of freshly planed oak.

Palate

Powerful and sweet with caramel, tropical fruit and a core of malt. The alcohol brings warmth without burning through.

Finish

Long and sweet with vanilla, oak and a dry, spiced close.

Specifications

Name: Blair Athol 2011/2024 Adelphi Selection 13 Years Single Highland Malt Whisky 58.3%
Distillery: Blair Athol
Bottler: Adelphi
Region/Country: Highlands, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 58,3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: First Fill Bourbon Barrel #305319
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2011
Bottled: 2024
Number of bottles: 288
Edition: Adelphi Selection

Flavour profile

Vanilla · Tropical · Sweet · Powerful · Oaky

Investment potential

Medium. A single cask of 288 bottles from a bottler with a strong reputation among collectors, and Adelphi releases typically sell out quickly.

Did you know?

Adelphi takes its name from a distillery that closed in 1907. When the company opened Ardnamurchan on Scotland's west coast in 2014, it was the first time in over a century that the name appeared on a working distillery again.

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Frequently asked questions about Blair Athol 2011/2024 Adelphi Selection 13 Years Single Highland Malt Whisky 58.3%

What characterises Adelphi as a bottler?

They choose casks by tasting rather than by distillery name, bottle at cask strength without filtration or colour, and typically release in very small runs. See more independent releases under Independent Whisky Bottlers.

Is 288 bottles few?

Yes. It corresponds to a single bourbon barrel after thirteen years of evaporation. Once the run is gone, the whisky no longer exists.

What does a first fill bourbon cask give?

Vanilla, coconut, caramel and pale spice in generous measure. The cask has held bourbon only once before and is therefore still very active.

Is it worth the money?

Single cask, cask strength, no filtration and a distillery whose single malt rarely reaches the market. Adelphi also carries a reputation that makes their bottlings sought after in itself.

Should I add water?

At 58.3% it is worth trying both. Neat gives concentration and warmth, while water draws the fruit and vanilla out more clearly.

What is the difference between a barrel and a hogshead?

A barrel holds around 200 litres, a hogshead around 250. The smaller cask carries more wood per litre and therefore matures faster.