Tullibardine 24 Years Old 1993 Cask #942 (BB&R)

This Tullibardine was drawn and bottled by Berry Bros & Rudd, aged 24 year old from 1993, drawn from cask 942 and bottled at 46%. Tullibardine was founded in 1949 by William Delme-Evans in Perthshire, off the A9, and it stands on a site with five centuries of brewing. Mothballed in 1994, the distillery was revived in 2003 and bought by the French wine house Picard in 2011.

The spirit was made in copper stills for a soft, fruity make, for a fruity, mellow make. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, the wood adding a light honeyed sweetness. Long ageing brings a deeper dried fruit character and a soft oak spice. Years in oak round the spirit, the honey and soft fruit deepening with age. Blackford's spring water has drawn brewers and distillers to the village for centuries. Tullibardine was founded in 1949 by the architect William Delme-Evans, the first new distillery in post war Scotland. King James IV is said to have bought ale at a Blackford brewery in 1488, on the site the distillery now occupies.

At 46% it is smooth and honeyed. Vanilla and a light toffee from the barrel runs under a mellow, honeyed character. A dried fruit and a soft oak give it depth. A long, honeyed finish carries a fruity lift. This is a gentle, honeyed Highland single malt.