Tullibardine 12 Years Old (Original Collection) (46%)

This Tullibardine was an independent Cadenhead's bottling, a 12 year old and bottled at 46%. Set in the southern Highlands near Gleneagles, Tullibardine has distilled since 1949. Mothballed in 1994, the distillery was revived in 2003 and bought by the French wine house Picard in 2011.

The spirit was run through the distillery's compact copper stills, to build a honeyed, malty character. A sherry cask wrapped the soft spirit in dried fruit and a nutty depth. Younger here, it keeps a light, honeyed freshness over vanilla. The soft, fruity spirit takes a wine finish particularly well, in the Picard house style. The distillery sits just off the A9 near Gleneagles, one of Scotland's more accessible. Under French wine ownership the distillery has leaned into its cask finishes. The Murray and Custodian's Collections gather its older and rarer bottlings.

At an approachable 46% it is soft and balanced. The Palo Cortado adds a dry, nutty, savoury note, and vanilla, toffee and orchard fruit meet soft vanilla and honey from the cask. Soft orchard fruit and vanilla sit behind the sweetness. The close is soft, fruit over gentle oak. This is the soft Highland malt of Blackford.