Bladnoch Distillery has announced a new five-part whisky series, the Wave. The series, which will fall under the Master Distiller’s Collection, forms a sequel to the distillery’s Waterfall series which concluded in May.
The Wave series will be released annually in five limited edition releases, and will showcase how Bladnoch master distiller Dr Nick Savage marries whiskies from different casks.
Preparation for the series began with the selection of five 1,500 litre amontillado sherry tuns, which will house whiskies from different combinations of cask types selected by Savage. The cask types will remain secret until each edition is released.
The ‘wave’ is created after each expression is bottled; the liquid remaining in the tun after each edition is released will be decanted into the tun set aside for the following year. The result is a continuity which Bladnoch calls a “wave effect”.
The first release in the new series is Wave I: Time & Maturation. The expression is a marriage of ex-bourbon cask whisky from Bladnoch’s stocks and the remaining whisky from the final release in the Waterfall series, Waterfall 05 2024.
Savage said: “We only ever select a cask when the time is right, not because it’s old or has reached a certain age. That right ‘time’ is determined by our deep understanding of maturation dynamics. It’s the moment of peak flavour in our warehouse environment — a climate where nothing is forced.
“The Wave is a strong example of Bladnoch’s taste-first approach to whisky making and a real demonstration of our bold Galloway spirit. With these single malts, we not only strive to take people on a journey into whisky making, but also to provide them with a taste experience, aiming to challenge preconceptions and build understanding along the way.”
Just 1,817 bottles of Wave I: Time & Maturation have been released, in a nod to the distillery’s founding year. Bladnoch says the expression has notes of pine needles, fresh cut oak, toasted coconut, and sweet oak.
Accompanying the release of each whisky in the Wave series, Bladnoch will release a music track that reflects the whisky’s journey and the connections between the whole series. A piano composition inspired by the way whiskies develop over time has been released alongside Wave I: Time & Maturation.
To celebrate the series, Bladnoch is planning Bladnoch Wave Weekend in June 2025, with further details to be revealed.
Bladnoch Wave I: Time & Maturation (53.8% ABV) is available exclusively in the UK and Australia from bladnoch.com at an RRSP of £150.
