Tullibardine Batch 1 (TBWC)

Bottled by That Boutique-y Whisky Company, this Tullibardine, bottled at 50.1%. Just 159 bottles were filled. Set at the foot of the Ochil Hills, Tullibardine has distilled since 1949. Its malt also goes into the Highland Queen blend, another Picard brand.

Distilled in copper stills on Ochil Hills spring water, giving the light, fruity spirit at its heart. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, gentle American oak beneath the fruit. Without an age statement, the malt is light, honeyed and fruity. A patient maturation suits the soft, honeyed Tullibardine character. 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. Its water rises in the Ochil Hills, the same source that feeds the Highland Spring brand. After lean years and a long silence, private investors brought the distillery back to life in 2003.

Undiluted at 50.1%, it is layered. The refill oak lending honey and vanilla runs under a mellow, honeyed character. A dried fruit and a soft oak give it depth. A warming, honeyed finish lingers. This is a gentle, honeyed Highland single malt.