Strathmill 11 Year Old 2013 Blackadder Raw Cask Single Bourbon Hogshead #800635 Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (2024) 70cl

Blackadder are a family owned independent whisky bottler established in 1995 by Robin Tucek who now runs the business with his son, Michael, and daughter, Hannah. Initially a whisky bottler, they have since developed their range to include other spirits, including rum and gin.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: Fresh and vibrant with notes of green apple, pear, and white blossoms. Subtle vanilla, honey, and a hint of grain follow. With time, subtle oak spice, almond blossom, and a touch of lemon zest develop – typical of Strathmill, but in a concentrated form.

Palate: Full-bodied, sweet, and yet robust. Aromas of malt sugar, creamy toffee, and light dried fruits are accompanied by honey, vanilla, and a delicate butter cookie note. The high cask strength adds structure and depth without masking the subtle fruit character. Slightly nutty tones and a subtle spiciness of cinnamon and white pepper complete the profile.

Finish: Long, warming, and harmoniously fading. Sweet and spicy wood notes intertwine with a hint of honey and dried fruit, while the fruity and floral accents linger gently.

About Strathmill

Strathmill distillery was built in 1892 and was originally named Glenisla. Strathmill whisky is an integral part of the J&B blend. However, as a single malt in its own right, it is extremely elusive, with its first official bottling appearing in 2001 when it was bottled as part of the Flora & Fauna range.

The distillery’s main production quirk comes in the form of a purifier pipe running from the lyne arm into the body of the spirit stills.

Like Glenlossie and Glen Spey, this adds a lightly oily character to the new make, here picked up almost as olive oil which mixes well with the lightly fruity/grassy notes.

Thanks to the River Isla, Keith has a long history of milling, both for meal and weaving (the town still has a kilt museum). Two of those old mill sites have since been converted to distilleries, Glen Keith and Strathmill.

Built in 1892, it was originally called Glenisla (with -Glenlivet suffixed). Its original owners sold it in 1895 to W&A Gilbey which was by then building its holdings in Scotch [see Glen Spey, Knockando]. As Gilbey moved through various incarnations so Strathmill became an integral part of the J&B family.

Its only official release is as part of the Flora & Fauna range.

About Blackadder

Blackadder’s philosophy is very simple – they believe that the Cask is King. Sixty to seventy percent of the flavors in a whisky are taken up slowly from the cask as the spirit lies maturing in the warehouse. The action of changing temperature draws the spirit in and out of the cask.
A family operation started and piloted by whisky legend Robin Tucek, they sell to a few limited countries around the world, primarily Tiawan, Japan, the USA and Sweden.

Blackadder was established in 1995 by Robin Tucek who runs the family business with his daughter Hannah and son Michael. Blackadder International gets its name from fugitive 17th-century preacher, John Blackadder. He is famous for preaching against the evils of alcohol.

Hannah Tucek states that the Blackadder International company will always be family-run. Each of the three owner-operators brings something unique to the table. Michael Tucek used to be a chef. He uses his familiarity with a wide range of aromas and flavours to write all tasting notes. Michael feels that “our sense of smell is the most direct sense to our brain and also our most complex. It’s proven that once you go over three aroma compounds mixed together, everything is subjective and becomes very personal. Every aroma can evoke a different memory in each of us and we build up our aroma library as we grow. By not being afraid to say what we sense and share it, we can all learn something from each other.” Like Michael, Hannah grew up around whisky and has come to appreciate whisky at its pure state. Her father and brother joke that she is the one that’s really in charge.

Every cask is unique, with its own fingerprint. This is why they bottle most of their whiskies from single casks. They don’t believe in chilling or otherwise heavily filtering their whiskies, and they never, repeat never, add caramel colouring or flavouring to their spirits. They have always believed the personalities of their whiskies are colourful enough. Their raw cask is famous for the barrel char in each bottle.

61.2% ABV

70cl