Glenburgie 28 Years Old 1994 Cask #10080 (Festival Bottling)

Gordon and MacPhail bottled this Glenburgie, a 28 year old, distilled in 1994, from cask 10080, at 51.8%, one of the festival bottlings. Glenburgie is a Speyside single malt, a blending malt rarely seen on its own and largely the work of independents. The old distillery was demolished and rebuilt in 2004, only the little stone office left standing. It has belonged to Chivas Brothers, part of Pernod Ricard, since 2005. It has been a core malt of the Ballantine's blend since Hiram Walker bought it in 1936.

It was worked unhurried through the stillhouse, for a light body with a gentle, waxy edge. A bourbon barrel held it, the wood adding a soft honey over the orchard fruit. Through the evaporative decades the esters fold into mango, beeswax and a waxy honey. First fill wood drives the maturation, the cask clear in the spirit. Active wood frames the fruit without ever crowding the Speyside spirit.

Bottled at a cask strength 51.8%, it is concentrated. A delicate, soft malt with a waxy edge, lifted by a soft oak. The body is light and clean, the fruit lifted by a soft oak. The close is light and clean, fruit over a gentle oak. This is a fruity Speyside malt rarely seen on its own.