Bladnoch 'Alinta' Peated Release PX Sherry Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Bladnoch 'Alinta' Peated Release PX Sherry Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a rare expression from Scotland's southernmost distillery, bridging Lowland elegance with Islay-level peat and a finishing regimen in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. The name 'Alinta' derives from an Aboriginal word for fire, a nod to the campfire smoke that defines this release, and the marriage of phenolic intensity with dessert-wine sweetness is uncommon in the Bladnoch catalog. The distillery historically produced unpeated spirit, making this peated bottling a deliberate pivot for a house better known for soft, floral malt. The PX finish amplifies dried-fruit richness without burying the smoke, a balancing act that demands precise cask selection. Bladnoch sits on the River Bladnoch in Dumfries and Galloway, a pocket of southwestern Scotland where maritime air tempers the spirit and the water source is famously soft. The distillery was silent for much of the early 2000s until Australian entrepreneur David Prior acquired it in 2015 and commissioned Master Distiller Nick Savage to explore a broader stylistic range. For Alinta, Savage layers phenolic malt from Port Ellen Maltings with fermentation in wooden washbacks and distillation in Bladnoch's copper pot stills, then matures the spirit in ex-bourbon casks before transferring to Pedro Ximénez sherry hogsheads for a finishing period that saturates the whisky with fig and raisin complexity. The Pedro Ximénez casks, sourced from Jerez, are steeped in residual sugar and contribute a viscous sweetness that plays against the peat char. On the nose, expect smoky ice cream and delicate floral notes woven through sweet oak, a profile that suggests vanilla custard over a wood fire. The palate opens with campfire smoke and almond, followed by raisin and a white chocolate body that coats the tongue, the PX influence most evident in the middle register. The finish is long and lingers with sweet smoke, the phenols sustained by the wine cask's sugars so the fade is neither austere nor cloying. Pour this neat after dinner or pair it with dark chocolate torte, smoked almonds, or a wedge of aged Manchego to echo the sherry. The interplay of peat and PX makes it a conversation piece for enthusiasts who want Islay smoke with Speyside dessert tendencies in a single glass. Bladnoch 'Alinta' Peated Release is available at Off Premise in Lincoln Park for pickup at 1128 W Armitage Ave, local Chicago delivery, or nationwide shipping.