Speyburn Single Cask 13 Years Old 2006

This Speyburn, an official release, a 13 year old release from 2006, drawn from cask 188 and bottled at 52.5%. Only 252 bottles were released. Set in a sheltered Speyside glen by the Granty Burn, Speyburn has distilled since 1897. One of the best selling malts abroad, it remains quietly under appreciated at home.

Distilled on Granty Burn water through onion stills with worm tubs, building the classic Speyside style it is loved for. Maturation came in American oak, with vanilla under the orchard fruit. Past a decade the fruit deepens into honey, dried fruit and a soft spice. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the honeyed, fruity core over time. Worm tub condensers are still used, lending the make a rounded, fragrant weight. The first spirit ran in a December snowstorm in 1897, to date the fillings to the Diamond Jubilee. Water is drawn from the Granty Burn, a clear tributary of the Spey.

At a hearty 52.5% it carries real weight. Orchard fruit and a floral lift sit alongside honeyed oak sweetness underneath. A ripe pear and a gentle spice lift it. The close is soft, fruit over gentle oak. This is the fresh face of Speyside whisky.