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blair athol whiskey
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Blair Athol Distillery Pitlochry, Scotland
Blair Athol Distillery is positioned at the gateway to the Scottish Highlands in the picturesque town of Pitlochry. The Distillery produces a 12 Year Old Single Malt Whisky, with a mellow deep-toned aroma, a strong fruity flavour and a smooth finish. Blair Athol wins hearts through its contribution to the Bell’s Blend, the most popular blended whisky in the U.K. and a leading brand in South Africa and Scandinavia. Blair Athol distillery was founded under the name ‘Aldour’ in Pitlochry in 1798, only taking its current name in 1825 following expansion work by the owner Robert Robertson.
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Heritage
The Story of Blair Athol The first documented evidence of a distillery on the present site dates from 1798 when John Stewart and Robert Robertson founded a distillery which they named “Aldour” after the Allt Dour - the “burn of the otter” - which flows through the grounds from the slopes of Ben y vrackie. Their venture, however, was not a success, probably due to the heavy excise duties on malt whisky levied by the government and the distillery shut. In 1826 Blair Athol was revived and by 1827 was being run by Alexander Connacher. The distillery was taken over by Peter Mackenzie & Co in the middle of the 19th century and was enlarged and improved so that by 1886 Blair Athol was capable of producing over 1,500 gallons (6,800 litres) per week. This has increased to 38,000 litres per week in 2003.In 1933 Blair Athol was acquired by Arthur Bell & Sons, now a subsidiary of Diageo. The distillery had been closed in 1932 and remained shut throughout the years of depression and the Second World War. In 1949 it was extensively rebuilt and has been in production ever since. In 1970 an additional two stills were added.
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The Claidheahm Mòr “Great Sword”
The Claymore is an anglicisation of the Gaelic claidheamh mòr “great sword”, first attested in 1772 with the gloss “great two-handed sword”. The two-handed claymore was a large sword used in the late Medieval and early modern periods. It was used in the constant clan warfare and border fights with the English from circa 1400 to 1700. The last known battle in which it is considered to have been used in a significant number was the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689. It was somewhat smaller than other two-handed swords of the era. The two-handed claymore seems to be an offshoot of Early Scottish medieval longswords which had developed a distinctive style of a cross-hilt with downsloping arms that ended in spatulate swellings. The spatulate swellings were frequently made in a quatrefoil design. The design of the bottle emulates this power and weight in its form and structure. The idea that the sword must be drawn from the bottle and handled with care relates to the value of any claidheahm mor sword.
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Blair Athol
Pitlochry, Scotland The River Garry rushes through the heart of Atholl like a silver thread linking all the villages and glens. The lively Atholl rivers combine with the mountains, hills and glens to create the finest scenery in Scotland. The Atholl villages: Calvine, Blair Atholl, Bruar, Killiecrankie, and Struan offer some of the finest hospitality in a natural, unspoiled setting. Access to our Atholl scenery is easy - whether you like country roads, bicycle paths, waymarked trails, or tours guided and unguided. If you walk, you will discover plentiful wildlife and plants, and you may even see red or roe deer. Blair Atholl’s most famous feature is Blair Castle, one of Scotland’s premier stately homes, and the last castle in the British Isles to be besieged, in 1746 during the last Jacobite Rebellion. The Castle was the traditional home of the Earls of Atholl. The Duke of Atholl is the only person in the UK allowed to raise a private army. This army, known as the Atholl Highlanders, conducts largely social and ceremonial activities, and primarily consists of workers on the extensive Atholl Estates.
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The Millennium Malt 2000-2012
Blending is part art, part science and something perfected in 1989 in Blair Athol’s Distillery. The Millenium Malt with its a single malt with an extraordinary depth of flavour. The taste travels right across your palate to deliver a flavour experience no ordinary whisky can match. The character of the whisky is defined by intense, spicy, zingy, edgy flavours. The Millennium Malt bursts onto the palate with the freshness of spray from a crashing wave, followed by the zing of aromatic spices and finally a long, lingering, smoky finish. Creating a sensation in the mouth creating a tingling sensation on the tongue. Whisky expert William MacCrae says of Millennium Malt, “This is outdoors, this is setting off on your bike along the coast with the wind blowing in your face, this is sitting by the fire with friends, the wind whipping the grass, there is salt in the air, an eternal sense of peace and heritage.� The Millennium Malt has it all. A distinctive nature, a passion and character with style and personality.
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The Scottish Highlands
Home to the Millennium Malt The Highlands is a historic region of Scotland. The area is culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands. The term is also used for the area north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault, although the exact boundaries are not clearly defined, particularly to the east. The Great Glen divides the Grampian Mountains southeast from the Northwest Highlands. The Highlands before 1800 were very poor and traditional, with connections to the uplift of the Scottish Enlightenment and little role in the Industrial Revolution that was sweeping the Lowlands of Scotland. In 1933 Blair Athol was acquired by Arthur Bell & Sons, Now a subsidiary of Diageo. The distillery redesigned the enitire system of distilling in 1989. Although in 1994 it was extensively rebuilt.
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The Stag
A Symbol of Harmony When John Stewart and Robert Robertson founded the Blair Athol distillery they noticed the reoccurrence of a single stag to the grounds. Every morning the the stag would reappear walking through the woodlands of Blair Athol. John and Robert realised then and there that the animal was destined to become apart of the whiskey. The Stag is a true animal of Scotland and symbolism peace and harmony with an essence of protection. The stag will live long in to the existence of Blair Athol Whiskey.
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Blair Ahol Distillery Pitlochry, Perthshire
blair athol whiskey