Tullibardine Single Cask #949 40 Years Old 1965 (Ex-Bourbon)

An official Tullibardine single malt, aged 40 year old from 1965, drawn from cask 949 and bottled at 48.3%. A release of 199 bottles. Set in Blackford, on the edge of the Highlands, Tullibardine has distilled since 1949. It stands on a site with five hundred years of brewing; King James IV bought ale at Blackford in 1488.

It was drawn off copper pot stills fed by the Danny Burn, for a soft, vanilla scented spirit. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, the wood adding a light honeyed sweetness. At thirty years and more it is rich and mellow, candied fruit, honey and old oak in a deep old malt. Years in oak round the spirit, the honey and soft fruit deepening with age. 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. The name comes from the Gaelic for lookout hill, after a hill once used to watch for strangers.

At a natural 48.3% it is full and honeyed. A gentle vanilla from the wood 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.