Balblair Distillery is a Scotch whiskydistillery located in Edderton, Ross-shire, Scotland. Founded in 1790, the distillery was rebuilt in 1895 by the designer Charles C Doig to be closer to the Edderton Railway Station on the Inverness and Ross-shire Railway line. However, so good was the original water source that the rebuilt distillery chose to ignore a nearby burn in favour of the original Ault Dearg burn. To this day, the Balblair Distillery continues to use this original water source. John Ross, the founder, ran Balblair as a thriving business and in 1824 he was joined by his son, Andrew. The distillery stayed in the Ross family until 1894 when the tenancy was taken over by Alexander Cowan. In 1948 the freehold was bought by Robert Cumming, who promptly expanded the distillery and increased production. Cumming ran the distillery until he retired in 1970 when he sold it to Hiram Walker. In 1996 Balblair Distillery was purchased by Inver House Distillers Limited. Balblair has one of the oldest archives in distilling, with the first ledger entry dated 25 January 1800. John Ross himself penned that first entry, which read: “Sale to David Kirkcaldy at Ardmore, one gallon of whisky at £1.8.0d”. Balblair used to release their whisky by vintage, but in April 2019 they started to release a core range of age statement whiskies. This includes but is not limited to a 12, 15, 18 and 25 year old. The distillery is now owned by Inver House Distillers Limited, whose other distilleries include the Speyburn-Glenlivet Distillery, Knockdhu Distillery, Old Pulteney Distillery and Balmenach Distillery. The distillery now has a visitor centre. Open all year to visitors.
Awards
Current Collection 12 Years Old San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2020 – Gold International Wine & Spirits Competition 2019 – Silver International Spirits Challenge 2019 - Silver 15 Years Old San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2020 – Gold International Wine & Spirits Competition 2019 – Silver International Spirits Challenge 2019 – Silver 18 Years Old International Wine & Spirits Competition 2019 – Gold International Spirits Challenge 2019 – Gold 25 Years Old International Wine & Spirits Competition 2019 – Gold International Spirits Challenge 2019 – Silver Travel Collection Balblair 17 Years Old International Wine & Spirits Competition 2019 – Gold International Spirits Challenge 2019 – Silver Archived collection International Spirits Competition 2018 Balblair Vintage 1991 - Gold Balblair Vintage 2000 - Gold International Wine & Spirits Competition 2018 Balblair Vintage 2000 - Gold Balblair Vintage 1991 - Silver Outstanding Balblair Vintage 2005 - Silver World Whisky Awards 2018 Balblair Vintage 1999 - Bronze Balblair Vintage 1990 - Bronze International Wine and Spirit Competition 2017 Balblair Vintage 1990 - Gold Balblair Vintage 1999 1st Release - Exclusive to Travel Retail - Gold Balblair 2004 Bourbon Matured - Exclusive to Travel Retail - Silver Outstanding Balblair 2004 Sherry - Exclusive to Travel Retail - Silver Outstanding Balblair Vintage 1999 - Silver Outstanding Balblair Vintage 2005 – Silver San Francisco World Spirits Competition2017 Balblair Vintage 1999 - Double Gold International Spirits Challenge 2017 Balblair Vintage 2004 Bourbon Matured - Exclusive to Travel Retail – Gold Balblair Vintage 2005 – Silver Balblair Vintage 1999 – Silver Balblair Vintage 1990 – Silver Balblair Vintage 2004 Sherry - Exclusive to Travel Retail – Silver Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2017 Balblair Vintage 1999 - 93 points Balblair Vintage 2005 - 89 points Balblair Vintage 1990 - 89 points IWSC 2016 Balblair Vintage 2005 – Gold Outstanding Balblair Vintage 1990 - Gold Outstanding Balblair Vintage 1999 – Silver Balblair Vintage 1983 – Gold Outstanding Balblair Vintage 2004 Bourbon - Exclusive to Travel Retail – Silver Outstanding Balblair Vintage 2004 Sherry - Exclusive to Travel Retail - Silver Balblair Vintage 1999 - Exclusive to Travel Retail – Silver Outstanding International Spirits Challenge 2016 Balblair Vintage 2005 – Silver Balblair Vintage 1990 – Gold Balblair Vintage 1999 – Silver Balblair Vintage 1983 – Silver Balblair Vintage 2004 Bourbon - Exclusive to Travel Retail – Silver Balblair Vintage 2004 Sherry - Exclusive to Travel Retail - Silver Balblair Vintage 1999 - Exclusive to Travel Retail – Silver Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2016 Balblair Vintage 2005 – 89 points Balblair Vintage 1990 – 98 points Balblair Vintage 1983 – 93 points World Whiskies Awards 2016 Balblair Vintage 1983 – Gold San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2016 Balblair Vintage 2005 – Gold Balblair Vintage 1999 – Silver
