Tullibardine 8 Years Old 2015 Cask #650941 (Global Whisky Limited)

Bottled by Global Whisky Limited, this Tullibardine, an 8 year old from 2015, drawn from cask 650941 and bottled at 58.8%. Set beneath the Ochil Hills at Blackford, Tullibardine has distilled since 1949. Its malt also goes into the Highland Queen blend, another Picard brand.

Distilled on soft Highland spring water, building the gentle Tullibardine style. Ex-Sherry wood added a dried fruit richness to the soft make. At this age the spirit is fresh and honeyed, the malt and soft fruit bright. Long, gentle ageing turns the fresh fruit towards honey and a soft spice. 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.

Bottled at a cask strength 58.8%, it is rich. The Oloroso adds figgy fruit and a warm nuttiness, and a malty, honeyed sweetness sit alongside honeyed oak sweetness underneath. A baked apple and a gentle ginger lift it. The close is soft, fruit over gentle oak. This is Tullibardine, the lookout hill malt.