Tullibardine 32 Years Old 1989 (East Village Whisky Company)

This Tullibardine was selected and bottled by East Village Whisky Company, a 32 year old from 1989 and bottled at 49.2%. Only 120 bottles were released. Set in Perthshire, off the A9, Tullibardine has distilled since 1949. 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. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, gentle American oak beneath the fruit. At this great age the malt is full and mellow, the honey deep and the oak soft. Sherry wood suits the soft make, lending dried fruit and a nutty depth. 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 its natural 49.2% it is concentrated. Vanilla and a light toffee from the barrel, with pear, honey and a malty note. The texture is soft and round, the fruit lifted by honey. A warming, honeyed finish lingers. This is Tullibardine's fruity Highland style.