Tullibardine 28 Years Old 1993 Cask #984 (The Caskhound)

The Caskhound bottled this Tullibardine single malt, a 28 year old release from 1993, drawn from cask 984 and bottled at 47.4%. The outturn was 224 bottles. 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. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, with vanilla under the malt. At this age it is rounded and mellow, the fruit folded into a honeyed body. Soft Ochil Hills water gives a clean, malty make. Picard is a Burgundy wine family, and their casks come from vineyards across France. The name comes from the Gaelic for lookout hill, after a hill once used to watch for strangers.

At cask strength 47.4% it is full bodied. Vanilla, toffee and orchard fruit meet soft vanilla and honey from the cask. Soft orchard fruit and vanilla sit behind the sweetness. It closes soft, honeyed and warm. This is the soft Highland malt of Blackford.