Category: Glenburgie

[58.0%・39 Years Old・Distilled in 1963・Bottled  2002・Signatory Vintage Bottling Selected by La Maison du Whisky・Cask No. 4750・Single Cask Release of 185 Bottles]

Nose:

The dram opens with a clean, mellow dose of stone fruits, then it is like opening the wardrobe to find your Barbour Bedale freshly brushed with wax together with your oil finished tin cloth jacket from Filson.  The oak is stately and is met with this golden sweetness from the clean malt, all the while with that old school Sherry cask creaminess running underneath. More tan leather with fine creamy cigar leaves giving a bit of weight, with a delight dose of Paris-Brest filled with caramel cream.  Dig deeper though and there is something dirty lurking beneath the exquisite fineness, something peaty and smoky.

Palate & Finish:

White oak infused soft syrup with some tender lemony edges, a waxy honey sweetness.  Caramelised pineapples with a hint of vegetative note and traces of peat smoke; slightly on the earthy side with some cloves and walnuts as the tannins seeps through. Though the green grapes do bring out this wee hint of salivating acidity.

Lemony, wHite oak infused soft syrup, cooked pineapples, a hint vegetative with some traces of peat smoke, rather earthy with quite a splash of peppery spices as tannins keep sipping through along green grapes.

Elegant finish that elongates with these notes of wine-y grapes lingering.

Thoughts:

A splendid vintage whisky, an excellent Glenburgie, and it’s peated!

What a joy for me to write about the dram.

☆☆ [Highly Recommended]

-Nicholas

[57.1%・25 Years Old・Distilled in 1989・Bottled in 2015・Silver Seal Bottling・Cask No. 16310・Single Cask Release of 204 Bottles]

Nose:

Chocolate mud cake with something herbal lurking underneath, a gentle grassy note followed by vanilla essence. There are some figs and cherries in the background that are coated with tobacco and leather, showing some age as a slight spirit-y sharpness showing its strength. Overtime it turns malty and yeasty, like walking from the mill to the next room that holds the washbacks.

Palate & Finish:

Bright prunes with a head-turning acidity that stretches and draws out the brightness of the cask-led fruits; apple vinegar, fig jam and maraschino cherries. A generous splash of cinnamon spices is followed by polite doses and oak and milk chocolate taking on a subservient role through a waxy undertone.

A bit drying in the finish with hints of earthiness and spearmint coming through, gentle brush of the dram’s inherent juiciness complimenting the substantial maltiness.

Thoughts:

This Glenburgie is quite a dramatic whisky, painting scenes that demand for attention.

The plot however may not feel entirely coherent, there are a few aspects that feel a bit too excessive.

But even then it’s undoubtedly a very solid dram and quite delicious indeed.

☆[Recommended]

-Nicholas