Glenburgie 27 Years Old 1995 (North Star) (Bourbon Cask, Europe)

This Glenburgie was bottled by North Star Spirits, a 27 year old, distilled in 1995, at 52.1%, one of 220 bottles. Glenburgie is a Speyside single malt from near Alves, founded in 1810 as Kilnflat. Most of its make goes quietly to blends; single malt Glenburgie is rare, and largely from independents. It has belonged to Chivas Brothers, part of Pernod Ricard, since 2005. It sits near Alves in Moray, east of Forres, in the heart of Speyside.

The spirit was distilled in tall onion shaped pot stills, for a light body with a gentle, waxy edge. Ex-Bourbon casks held it, the American oak lending vanilla and a light honey. Through the evaporative decades the esters fold into mango, beeswax and a waxy honey. Long ageing turns the fresh apple towards beeswax, tropical fruit and a gentle spice. First fill wood drives the maturation, the cask clear in the spirit. Years in oak deepen the spirit to old gold, the body growing rounder and waxier with time.

At 52.1%, undiluted, it is rich and waxy. Apple, pear and a soft honey, over a gentle, creamy oak. It is soft and gently waxy, the light spirit shining through. The finish is rounded, fruity and clean. This is the fragrant blending malt of Alves.