Tullibardine 8 Years Old 2015 Cask #650932 (Dràm Mòr)

Bottled by Dràm Mòr, this Tullibardine, an 8 year old Highland malt from 2015, drawn from cask 650932 and bottled at 53.7%. Just 245 bottles were filled. Opened in 1949 beneath the Ochil Hills at Blackford, Tullibardine is a soft, honeyed Highland malt. Its malt also goes into the Highland Queen blend, another Picard brand.

Distilled on soft Highland spring water, building the gentle Tullibardine style. Maturation in a sherry cask laid dried fruit over the honeyed malt. Younger here, it keeps a light, honeyed freshness over vanilla. Refill oak lets the honeyed Tullibardine character lead, vanilla over toffee. The name comes from the Gaelic for lookout hill, after a hill once used to watch for strangers. It is one of few distilleries to distil, mature and bottle entirely on the one site. Delme-Evans, a noted gravity flow designer, also drew up the Jura and GlenAllachie distilleries.

At a full 53.7% it is bold yet honeyed. The Oloroso gives dried fruit and a toasted nuttiness, and vanilla, toffee and orchard fruit meet honeyed oak sweetness underneath. Soft orchard fruit and vanilla sit behind the sweetness. It finishes soft, honeyed and clean. This is the soft Highland malt of Blackford.