This Melbourne entrepreneur saved one of Scotland’s oldest whisky distilleries
Bladnoch is putting the Lowlands back on the map with its latest scotch release.
David Prior doesn’t fit the typical stereotype of someone deeply involved in the Scotch whisky industry. He is often attired in a cobalt blue suit and his soft tone lacks anything even remotely resembling a Scottish accent. He also hails from Melbourne.
Nonetheless, he’s taking one of the most exciting projects in the world of Scotch whisky to new heights — albeit in a whisky region of Scotland designated as the Lowlands.
“It has always been Scotland and scotch for me,” Prior tells WISH. “It’s a spirit deeply rooted in tradition and history, and I’ve always admired the artistry involved in its production.”
Prior purchased Bladnoch Distillery in 2015, after it had gone into liquidation the year before. In the process he became the only Australian owner of a scotch distillery. (By definition, to call itself a maker of scotch, a distillery must be in Scotland.)
Bladnoch, which dates back to 1817, was once known as the “Queen of the Lowlands”. It is said to be one of the oldest independently owned Scotch whisky distilleries in Scotland and a jewel of the long-overlooked Lowlands region.
Like the proverbial fire that warms the belly after a dram, Prior’s love for Bladnoch exploded after he first visited the distillery.
“I was captivated by its potential, and the warmth of the community surrounding it,” he recalls. “It felt like the perfect place to invest my passion and energy.”
Prior’s background in business had no association with scotch; a lack of experience he now sums up as equal parts rewarding and challenging. A year before purchasing Bladnoch, he sold his yoghurt business, five:am, for a reported $80 million.
The transition was, as you might expect, different. Fermentation is really the only characteristic the two products share. What Prior did bring was a deeply Australian perspective.
“We incorporate a spirit of innovation and a commitment to excellence that mirrors Australia’s own distinctive qualities,” Prior says of the synergy.
“This influence helps bring a unique touch to our whisky, reflecting a blend of Scottish tradition and Australian vision.”
After getting Bladnoch up and running, in 2019 Prior recruited a big name in the scotch world: Dr Nick Savage. The master distiller arrived following a successful career in the same position at Macallan, one of the world’s foremost single malt producers from Scotland’s Speyside region.
Bladnoch’s next project, dubbed The Wave, is a five-part, limited-edition single malt series intended to demonstrate the process of “marrying” whisky casks. Each release will reveal one of the five whisky-making pillars that Savage and his team operate under at Bladnoch.
Utilising Savage and Bladnoch’s “taste-first” approach, five 1500-litre Amontillado sherry tuns will be married with various combinations of cask types. After this release, the remaining whisky will be decanted into the following year’s tun, creating a “wave” effect that continues on.
Compared with the lofty northern neighbours of the Speyside, Islay, Campbelltown and the Highland regions, whiskies of the Lowlands have been somewhat overlooked. But an argument could be made that Prior’s project has set off a domino effect. Sleepy distillers nearby such as Ailsa Bay and Rosebank have whirred back to life, each helping to shift the way the region and its offerings are viewed. “We have an important role to play in helping to put the region firmly on the whisky map,” says Savage.
The signature Lowlands style – a more floral, fruity and grassy palate than other regions – is not necessarily something he and Prior are chasing. “I want to make sure Bladnoch is not constrained by typical whisky conventions. We want to take educated risks to provide a range of whisky experiences.”
