Glenburgie 5 Years Old 1965

Glenburgie from the distillery, a 5 year old, from 1965, at 43%. Glenburgie is a light, fruity Speyside malt of orchard fruit, grass and a soft waxy thread. It was founded in 1810 as Kilnflat by William Paul, taking the Glenburgie name in 1878. Its water is drawn from a local spring near the distillery. Its make has long fed big blends like Old Smuggler down the decades. It was expanded to six stills after the rebuild, one of the bigger distilleries in the group. It has been a core malt of the Ballantine's blend since Hiram Walker bought it in 1936.

It was distilled from unpeated malt, for a light body with a gentle, waxy edge. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, oak lactones lending a creamy vanilla. In these extractive early years the oak gives vanillin as vanilla and lactones as coconut over apple, pear and fresh grass. A soft waxiness from the spirit carries a thread through the maturation.

Bottled at 43%, it is light and rounded. Baked apple, grass and a light honey, lifted by a soft oak. Pear, grass and a creamy oak fill the middle. The finish runs delicate, fruity and waxy. This is a light, fruity Speyside single malt.