Bladnoch, Scotland’s southernmost distillery, has introduced Chapter 1 of Loch Maberry: Stories of Bladnoch, the first release in a new limited-edition series celebrating and selected by individuals who have a deep affinity with its exceptional whiskies.
Loch Maberry is the source of the River Bladnoch, which provides the water that has sustained Bladnoch Distillery since it was founded in 1817. The name of the series acknowledges the significance of those who most appreciate Bladnoch’s bold Galloway spirit, and the role they play in keeping the distillery in flow.
Chapter 1 in the series pays tribute to Mr Arnold, a lifelong admirer of Bladnoch whose passion and enthusiasm exemplifies the dedication of the distillery’s highly skilled team. Its release also marks the commencement of the selection process for Chapter 2, which will be conducted via Bladnoch’s website.
Mr Arnold became familiar with Bladnoch when he owned a home in Garlieston, close to the distillery, in Dumfries and Galloway’s Wigtown.
He first visited the distillery after becoming curious about single malt Scotch. After trying Bladnoch’s meticulously crafted whiskies and learning more about the time-honoured skills required to create them, he became a regular visitor to the distillery and a great admirer of the people who worked there.
In recognition of his many years of appreciation, he was invited by Dr Nick Savage, Master Distiller at Bladnoch, to become the first member of the extended Bladnoch family to select a cask for bottling. Guided by Nick, Mr Arnold nosed and tasted a variety of samples before choosing Cask 89. Distilled in 2008 and matured in a first fill Californian red wine hogshead, Chapter 1 of Loch Maberry: Stories of Bladnoch displays notes of fruity blackcurrant jam, ginger, and herbs and delivers a sweet and warming finish.
Mr Arnold said: “It is an honour to be the story of Chapter 1. Spending time with Dr Nick Savage, the Master Distiller, and learning about the process of cask selection was remarkable. His focus is on taste first, and I admire that.
“The sweet and warming flavours of the whisky we chose tell the story of my Bladnoch journey, and how welcome I have always felt at the distillery. Its richness reflects how my Bladnoch experiences have enhanced my life.”
Dr Nick Savage added: “Helping Mr Arnold to explore our casks and find the right one to capture his Bladnoch adventure, was incredibly rewarding and an experience I will never forget.
“As we blind-tasted and compared samples, it was a joy to see whisky making through his eyes and interpret what Bladnoch means to him. I look forward to selecting our next supporter for Chapter 2 of this unique series.”
Bottled at a cask strength ABV of 56.7%, Chapter 1 of Loch Maberry: Stories of Bladnoch has a natural colour of bronze oak and is non-chill filtered. It is encased in a presentation box which also contains letters from Mr Arnold and Dr Nick Savage describing their experiences of collaborating to craft the whisky.
With an RRSP of £150, Chapter 1 of Loch Maberry: Stories of Bladnoch is available from Bladnoch.com in the UK.
Following its release, the distillery is inviting individuals who wish to be considered for the selection of Chapter 2 to share their Bladnoch stories. Those interested should visit the Bladnoch website at Bladnoch.com for full details.
For more information about Loch Maberry: Stories of Bladnoch, Chapter 1, please visit: https://uk.bladnoch.com/pages/
