Tullibardine 23 Years Old 1993 Cadenhead’s 175th Anniversary (Cadenhead’s)

Cadenhead's bottled this Tullibardine single malt, aged 23 year old from 1993 and bottled at 48.6%. Only 252 bottles were released. Tullibardine was founded in 1949 by William Delme-Evans in the southern Highlands near Gleneagles, and it stands on a site with five centuries of brewing. It was founded by the distillery architect William Delme-Evans, the first new distillery in Scotland after the war.

The spirit was run through the distillery's compact copper stills, to build a honeyed, malty character. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, gentle American oak beneath the fruit. Past twenty years the spirit turns honeyed and full while staying soft. Wine cask finishing is central to the modern range, layering extra fruit. King James IV is said to have bought ale at a Blackford brewery in 1488, on the site the distillery now occupies. Its water rises in the Ochil Hills, the same source that feeds the Highland Spring brand.

At a hearty 48.6% it carries real weight. Oats, honey and a touch of ginger sit alongside soft vanilla and honey from the cask. It is gentle and honeyed, the soft spirit shining through. It closes soft, honeyed and warm. This is a wine finished Highland malt from Blackford.