Bladnoch's new Wave II limited-edition whisky release serves up ocean spirit

You may know Bladnoch as Scotland’s oldest privately-owned Scotch whisky distillery. Or, you might know it as the noise that some people make when they try to pretend they can drink whisky neat, when they pretty much always mix it with two litres of cola.

Much like any respectable cultural hit, from YA novels to superhero films, a good whisky distillery these days has to have a three-to-five part series that it releases every couple of years, much to the excitement of its fans. Bladnoch is no exception, having released Wave II - the second instalment of its latest collection, which is all about the five pillars of whisky making.

Wave II - unsurprisingly - follows the release of Wave I: Time & Maturation, which debuted in 2024. The focus on time and maturation was all about highlighting the effect that using casks at their peak time has on the flavours of the whisky.

To create this release of The Wave, master distiller Dr Nick Savage used five Amontillado sherry tuns which were filled with whiskies from different cask types. In layman’s terms, this basically means they carefully selected different casks to mature the whisky in, playing with the flavour for each release.

The name has been thoughtfully selected with a pretty cool reason behind it; the whisky that is matured but not bottled is then decanted for the next year’s expression, creating a common thread of flavour and depth. Just like the sea. Clever, eh?

It’s bottled at 57% ABV and thanks to its maturation in Amontillado sherry casks and ex-bourbon casks, it’s characterised by flavours of pear drops, pineapples and ginger. On the nose, it has aromas of pear drops and summer barley - sort of like a Scottish peatier Pimms. On the palate, there are hints of baked pineapples with ginger snaps, and the finish is floral and fresh yet spiced.

To maintain that premium, special feeling, the release is limited to 1,817 bottles - and if you’re wondering why the number is so specific, it’s actually an homage to the year the distillery was founded. It’s selling for £125 per bottle and available from Bladnoch Distillery.

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