Glenburgie 38 Years Old 1986 Cask #10307

This Glenburgie was bottled by Gordon and MacPhail, a 38 year old, distilled in 1986, from cask 10307, at 57.9%, one of 118 bottles. Glenburgie is a Speyside single malt from near Alves, founded in 1810 as Kilnflat. It sits near Alves in Moray, east of Forres, in the heart of Speyside. Its water is drawn from a local spring near the distillery. It has belonged to Chivas Brothers, part of Pernod Ricard, since 2005. It was rebuilt in 1881 by Charles Chree Doig, the architect behind so many Speyside stillhouses.

The spirit was worked unhurried through the stillhouse, giving a fragrant, orchard led Speyside spirit. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanillin and a soft coconut under the malt. At a great, fragile age oxidation rules, sotolon lending honey and dried fig as beeswax and a waxy note linger. The spirit deepens with time, the cask drawing out a soft beeswax. First fill wood drives the maturation, the cask clear in the spirit.

At its natural 57.9% it is full and fruity. A soft, orchard led sweetness with a floral lift, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Soft apple and a waxy honey sit behind the cask. Green apple, honey and a soft oak see it out. This is a Speyside single malt of real lightness.