Balblair is an exemplary model of Inver House’s commitment to traditional whisky-making techniques, blending modern marketing with classic methods. The distillery’s focus is on producing a richly fruity new make character, achieved through clear worts, long fermentation in wooden washbacks, and distillation in small, stumpy stills. This approach contributes to the unique sulphury, meaty note found in the new make spirit, which, over time, develops into a more complex profile. As the sulphur lifts, delicate fruity notes emerge, while the meatiness transforms into sweet toffee flavors and, with extended aging, a distinctive spiciness.
The history of Balblair dates back to 1790, when the Ross family established the first distillery near Edderton. However, in 1872, production was moved to a new location near the railway line linking Wick to Inverness. The distillery faced a turbulent period at the start of the 20th century, closing in 1911 before reopening after World War II when the British government encouraged whisky production for export, especially to the United States.
In 1970, Robert ‘Bertie’ Cumming, the owner of Old Pulteney, acquired Balblair, and it remained under the ownership of Canadian distiller Hiram Walker after they took over in 1970. The distillery was later absorbed into Allied Distillers. In 1996, Inver House purchased the distillery and began to rejuvenate its fortunes. While bottlings had been sporadic in the past, including the release of Balblair Elements in 2000, the distillery underwent a significant transformation in 2007. Inver House rebranded Balblair and started releasing its whiskies as vintage expressions, inspired by the success of Glenrothes’ approach. This new direction, combined with the excellent quality of the liquid, helped raise Balblair’s profile from relative obscurity to being a highly regarded name in whisky.
In 2013, Balblair was also featured in Ken Loach’s film The Angel’s Share, where it served as the backdrop for the auction of the only extant cask of Malt Mill—a fictional cask within the movie—further cementing its place in whisky culture.
