Tullibardine 30 Years Old 1993 15th Anniversary (The Whisky Agency)

From The Whisky Agency comes this Tullibardine, a 30 year old from 1993 and bottled at 47.6%. Tullibardine, founded in 1949 by William Delme-Evans at Blackford in Perthshire, is known for its wine cask finishes. Picard brought a range of wine cask finishes, named for the size of the cask: the 225 Sauternes, 228 Burgundy and 500 Sherry.

It was worked through the distillery's pot stills, for the soft, honeyed Highland make Tullibardine is known for. A wine cask finish layered fruit over the malt. Decades leave it deep and gentle, waxy honey and dried fruit with great age. Wine cask finishing is central to the modern range, layering extra fruit. After lean years and a long silence, private investors brought the distillery back to life in 2003. Picard is a Burgundy wine family, and their casks come from vineyards across France.

At its natural 47.6% it is concentrated. The Rum cask brings brown sugar and a tropical lift, and oats, honey and a touch of ginger sit alongside a quiet vanilla from the refill oak. It is gentle and honeyed, the soft spirit shining through. A honeyed, lightly spiced finish lingers. This is a wine finished Highland malt from Blackford.