Tullibardine 13 Years Old 2008 Warrior Girls (Sexywhisky)

This is a Tullibardine single malt, an independent Sexywhisky bottling, a 13 year old Highland malt from 2008 and bottled at 52.9%. 30 bottles in all. Tullibardine, founded in 1949 by William Delme-Evans at Blackford in Perthshire, is known for its wine cask finishes. It stands on a site with five hundred years of brewing; King James IV bought ale at Blackford in 1488.

It was worked through the distillery's pot stills, for the soft, honeyed Highland make Tullibardine is known for. A sherry butt held it, the wood lending raisin and walnut. Around the mid teens the malt gains a fuller honey and a riper fruit. Refill oak lets the honeyed Tullibardine character lead, vanilla over toffee. 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.

At a full 52.9% it is bold yet honeyed. The Oloroso adds figgy fruit and a warm nuttiness, and vanilla, toffee and orchard fruit meet a quiet vanilla from the refill oak. Soft orchard fruit and vanilla sit behind the sweetness. A honeyed, lightly spiced finish lingers. This is the soft Highland malt of Blackford.