Whisky · Scotland · brand

Blair Athol. Twenty-two whiskies.

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A bottle of Blair Athol, from the shelf in the shop in Bathmen
22whiskies in stock
Scotlandcountry of origin
1shop, not a warehouse

From the shelf

Six of the 22

Click on a bottle for the rest of the details.

Bottle of James Eadie Blair Athol 10 Years Old, whiskyJames Eadie Blair Athol 10 Years OldScotland€ 44.99Bottle of THE SINGLE MALTS OF SCOTLAND Blair Athol 10 Years Old, whiskyTHE SINGLE MALTS OF SCOTLAND Blair Athol 10 Years OldScotland€ 53.99Bottle of Signatory Un-Chillfiltered Collection Blair Athol 11 Years Old 2011 #306899+905+911+913, whiskySignatory Un-Chillfiltered Collection Blair Athol 11 Years Old 2011 #306899+905+911+913Scotland€ 54.99Bottle of Blair Athol 12 Years Old Speyside Single Malt Whisky, whiskyBlair Athol 12 Years Old Speyside Single Malt WhiskyScotland€ 59.99Bottle of Signatory Vintage The Monuments of Scotland Blair Athol 10Y, whiskySignatory Vintage The Monuments of Scotland Blair Athol 10YScotland€ 61.99Bottle of Claxton's Exploration Series Blair Athol 7 Years Old 2015, whiskyClaxton's Exploration Series Blair Athol 7 Years Old 2015Scotland€ 63.99

Why here

Twenty-one casks from a distillery with a single bottling of its own

Blair Athol itself only releases the twelve-year-old from the Flora & Fauna series. In addition, there are occasional bottles sold exclusively in the shop at the distillery. We have two of those, including a twenty-year-old. Everything else comes from independent bottlers.

We have twenty-one of those, from 45 euros up to a thirty-one-year-old from 1992. Five of them come from Claxton’s and five from Signatory, so it is easy to compare two bottlers side by side. If you are not sure which one you need, just give us a call. That is what we are here for.

From the house itself

The three own bottlings

The standard twelve-year-old and two bottles that were only available at the distillery.

About the distillery

The stream of the otter, and the engine behind Bell’s

  • The distillery in five moments
  • 1798John Stewart and Robert Robertson establish Aldour in Pitlochry.
  • 1825The name becomes Blair Athol, after the village and the duke who owned the land.
  • 1932–1949Seventeen years silent because of the crisis years.
  • 1933Arthur Bell & Sons buys the distillery, together with Dufftown.
  • 1985Guinness takes over Bell’s; a visitor centre is coming.

Blair Athol lies on the southern edge of Pitlochry, at the gateway to the Highlands, and is one of the seven still-working distilleries founded in the eighteenth century. The other six are Bowmore, Glen Garioch, Highland Park, Oban, Strathisla and Tobermory.

The original name was Aldour, after the Allt Dour that runs through the grounds: Gaelic for ‘burn of the otter’. That animal is still on the label of the twelve-year-old. In 1825 the name became Blair Athol, after a village some eleven kilometres further north, presumably to flatter the Duke of Atholl, who owned the land.

What defines the distillery is its purchase by Arthur Bell & Sons in 1933. Bell's grew into the best-selling blend in the United Kingdom, and Blair Athol became its most important malt. That is still the case: roughly ninety-five percent of production goes that way.

Less than one percent of what is distilled here goes into the bottle as Blair Athol. Everything else disappears into a blend that doesn't carry the name.

Why is Blair Athol so full-bodied and sweet?

Two choices in the production process. The wort is deliberately drawn off cloudy, so grain particles and fats come along instead of being filtered out. That is the opposite of what most distilleries do. And the part that is bottled as single malt matures in first fill sherry casks. Together, this produces a heavy, fruity Highland whisky.

To start with

Five bottles under sixty-five euros, all from independent bottlers.

View all Blair Athol in the online shop

Twenty-four bottles, with the current price and stock.

View all bottles

Ten casks from Claxton’s, Signatory and Adelphi

From seven to thirteen years old, almost all at cask strength. Five from Claxton’s and five from Signatory, so two bottlers side by side.

Older and exceptional

Six bottles that stand apart from the rest, up to a thirty-one-year-old from 1992.

Frequently asked questions about Blair Athol

How much Blair Athol does ’t Bockje have in stock?

Twenty-four bottles, all available right away: three from the distillery itself and twenty-one from independent bottlers.

Why does Blair Athol release so little itself?

Because about ninety-five percent of production goes into the Bell’s blend. Less than one percent is bottled as single malt: the twelve-year-old from the Flora & Fauna series, and occasionally a bottle that is only on sale at the distillery.

Which Blair Athol should you try first?

The James Eadie ten-year-old is the cheapest way in. If you want the official bottle, take the twelve-year-old from the Flora & Fauna series; it matures in first fill sherry casks and shows the full, sweet side of this house well.

What is a distillery exclusive?

A bottle that was only sold in the shop at the distillery itself. Those rarely reach the regular market. We have two, including a twenty-year-old.

What does Blair Athol actually mean?

The distillery was first called Aldour, after the Allt Dour that runs past it: Gaelic for stream of the otter. That otter is still on the label. In 1825 the name became Blair Athol, after a village further along.

Does ’t Bockje also ship Blair Athol abroad?

Yes. We ship to around forty countries. Email info@bockje.nl if you want to know whether your country is included.

Order, collect or drop by

  • In stock in our shop at Brink 2 in Bathmen
  • Available to order online and have delivered, including abroad
  • Order online or collect in Bathmen
  • Personal advice via 0570 541 278 or info@bockje.nl
  • Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday 09.00–18.00, Saturday 09.00–17.00. Closed Monday and Sunday
View all Blair AtholCall 0570 541 278Email us

Wij verkopen geen alcohol aan personen onder de 18 jaar. NIX18.

All 21 bottles at a glance

Each bottle shows the details from the label.

Keep browsing

Photo of the distillery: Bernt Rostad (CC BY 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons. Bottle images: own online shop.

Brink 2, Bathmen

All our stock is in the shop, not in a warehouse somewhere else. If you walk in with a name you couldn't find anywhere, it is often simply here on the shelf. You can also call: 0570 541 278.

Wij verkopen geen alcohol aan personen onder de 18 jaar. NIX18

  • Tuesday to Friday 09.00 – 18.00
  • Saturday 09.00 – 17.00
  • Monday and Sunday closed