Founded in 1790 by John Ross on the Balnagown estate; family-run until 1894. In 1895, designed by Charles Doig, the distillery was moved near the railway in Edderton but it retained its revered original water source, the Allt Dearg burn. Boasts one of the oldest whisky archives, with first entry dated January 1800. Located on a picturesque hillside by the Dornoch Firth in Ross-shire. They use original Allt Dearg spring water renowned for its purity. Houses one wash still and one spirit still, with output around 1.4–1.8 million L/year, using traditional copper pot stills with long fermentations (~62 hrs) and slow distillation (~4.5 hrs). Initially released as vintage whiskies (e.g. 1979, 1989, 1997); in 2019 shifted to age-stated core range (12, 15, 18, 21, 25 Year Old). Balblair's signature style is fruity, buttery, citrus-forward, thanks to light-mannered stills, long ferment, and ex-bourbon/oloroso-seasoned casks .
