Glenburgie 21 Years Old 1995 Cask #6515 (van Wees)

A 21 year old Glenburgie from van Wees, distilled in 1995, from cask 6515, at 46%, one of 252 bottles. Glenburgie is a clean, fruity Speyside malt, light and fresh in the glass. It was expanded to six stills after the rebuild, one of the bigger distilleries in the group. Its make has long fed big blends like Old Smuggler down the decades.

The spirit was drawn from a long fermentation, for a light body with a gentle, waxy edge. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, oak lactones lending a creamy vanilla. Through oxidative maturity the esters concentrate, the apple and pear turning to a waxy honey and soft tropical fruit. Active wood frames the fruit without ever crowding the Speyside spirit. Years in oak deepen the spirit to old gold, the body growing rounder and waxier with time. Built for the blender's art, the make ages with quiet grace as a single malt.

At an approachable 46% it is fresh and clean. Pear, honey and a creamy oak, with a soft vanilla from the oak. It is soft and gently waxy, the light spirit shining through. The finish runs delicate, fruity and waxy. This is a fruity Speyside malt rarely seen on its own.