Blessed Thistle (4.5%) - Cairngorm Brewery Company, Highland, Scotland

One of the biggest problems with being so strongly inclined to fill my suitcase as much as possible with bottles of beer when returning from a holiday is of course the measly baggage allowance that simply wasn't decided with me in mind. This normally leads to impulsive additions to my beerhaul once I've passed security at the airport terminal, regardless of the suddenly inflated costs. That's what happened when I connected at Glasgow on a flight from Stornoway to Heathrow - with little else to keep me busy there I had dangerous amounts of time to kill in the beer section of the tourist shop, and kill it I did.

One of the beers I subsequently adopted was Blessed Thistle from the Scottish Highlands. Not exactly local to Glasgow, but a beer that used Scotland's national emblem as an ingredient, one I'd never tasted nor seen being brewed with before, filled me with too much excitement to let it pass me by.

On a 500ml bottle (the size I like) the label displays the Cairngorm brewery with the backdrop of a deep red sunset. And, of course, an enormous thistle. 

As promised on the label, it pours a gorgeous reddish-brown (turning redder or browner depending on the light) and has a good head that holds on its way down, leaving some good lacing behind.

The aroma is of floral gums, that soapy tasting sweet we all remember and love, with a roasted, malty undercurrent. There's an extra herbal quality in there that I’d never smelt the likes of before in a beer: surely the thistle at play. Adding a herbal tea character, it's very pleasant and works so very well.

The flavour introduces roasted, biscuity and nutty flavours that linger on. At the same time refreshing fruity and floral notes wash over the malty base leaving a subtle floral gums after taste. As the herbal seasoning comes through, the hints of ginger mentioned on the label make themselves known.

It has a medium body and a fairly dry finish which works well with the roasted, nutty flavours.

Presenting me with something unlike anything I'd tasted before, I was more than pleasantly surprised by Blessed Thistle. Even at an inflated airport tourist shop price, its complex yet balanced, different and drinkable nature with bags of Scottish character made it worth every penny, living up to its description of a "unique thistle beer". Next time, I'm bringing a bigger holdall.

  

Appearance 5/5

Aroma 4.5/5

Flavour 4.5/5

Mouthfeel 3/5

Overall rating 8.5/10

Brewery information

Website: http://www.cairngormbrewery.com/ 

Twitter: @cairngormbrew
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CairngormBrewery