Glenburgie 8 Years Old 2012 Cask #128 (The Vintage Malt Whisky Co Ltd.)

The Vintage Malt Whisky Co Ltd, the Glasgow bottler founded by Brian Crook in 1992, bottled this Glenburgie, distilled in 2012, from cask 128, at 54.5%, one of 312 bottles. Glenburgie is a Speyside single malt, owned by Chivas Brothers and one of the larger Speyside distilleries. It was founded in 1810 as Kilnflat by William Paul, taking the Glenburgie name in 1878.

It was drawn from a long fermentation, building a light malt of orchard fruit and fresh grass. It was finished in a Marsala cask, the wood building on the light, fruity spirit. In these extractive early years the oak gives vanillin as vanilla and lactones as coconut over apple, pear and fresh grass. Active wood frames the fruit without ever crowding the Speyside spirit. Built for the blender's art, the make ages with quiet grace as a single malt. The spirit deepens with time, the cask drawing out a soft beeswax.

Bottled at a cask strength 54.5%, it is concentrated. Green apple, citrus and a waxy note, with a raisined, herbal sweetness from the cask. Soft apple and a waxy honey sit behind the cask. Green apple, honey and a soft oak see it out. This is a fragrant Speyside single malt of real lightness.