Tullibardine Vintage Edition 19 Years Old 1993

This Tullibardine, an official release, a 19 year old from 1993 and bottled at 40%. Tullibardine was built in 1949 beneath the Ochil Hills at Blackford; its honeyed malt has a quiet following. Water comes from the Ochil Hills springs, the same source as the Highland Spring bottled water.

Distilled on soft Highland spring water, building the gentle Tullibardine style. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, with vanilla under the malt. Past a decade the malt deepens into honey, toffee and a soft orchard fruit. The honeyed spirit makes a fine base for a fortified or wine cask. Delme-Evans, a noted gravity flow designer, also drew up the Jura and GlenAllachie distilleries. The malt also feeds the Highland Queen blend, another brand in the Picard stable. Part of the old estate was turned into a retail outlet during the lean years. The distillery sits just off the A9 near Gleneagles, one of Scotland's more accessible.

At 40% it is smooth and honeyed. A malty, honeyed sweetness sit alongside honeyed oak sweetness underneath. A baked apple and a gentle ginger lift it. Vanilla and a soft ginger draw out the close. This is Tullibardine, the lookout hill malt.