Glenburgie 8 Years Old 2012 Cask #9022 (Whiskymax)

This Glenburgie was bottled by Whiskymax, an 8 year old, distilled in 2012, from cask 9022, at 46.5%, one of 372 bottles. Glenburgie is a Speyside single malt, a blending malt rarely seen on its own and largely the work of independents. It has been a core malt of the Ballantine's blend since Hiram Walker bought it in 1936. Its make has long fed big blends like Old Smuggler down the decades.

Distilled in tall onion shaped pot stills, giving a fragrant, orchard led Speyside spirit. It was finished in a Rum 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. First fill wood drives the maturation, the cask clear in the spirit. A soft waxiness from the spirit carries a thread through the maturation.

At 46.5% it is bright, waxy and soft. Pear, floral notes and a soft, waxy sweetness, with a soft molasses and a tropical sweetness from the cask. It is soft and gently waxy, the light spirit shining through. It finishes light, fresh and faintly waxy. This is the fragrant blending malt of Alves.