Origin: Highlands (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 43%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Bourbon first fill, ex-Burgundy Wine
Chillfiltered: Yes
Addional coloring: Yes
Owner: Picard Vins et Spiriteux
Average price: € 39.00
Official website: www.tullibardine.com
Vote: 80/100
I move up a size in the ageing barrels and here I am faced with a Tullibardine that has spent the last twelve months ageing in 228 litre barrels of red Burgundy wine, from the Chateau Chassagne-Montrachet cellars.
How much time it has previously spent in the ex-Bourbon barrels is unknown, but a year of final ageing, especially in wine, is a lot.
But risk-taking is, after all, the fun part of the whisky world, and if everyone followed already beaten and reassuring paths it would be damned boring.
Although the expressions I have tried so far haven’t exactly thrilled me, I remain open-minded and towards…
Tasting notes
The nose has obvious winey scents, though not excessive, more in the vein of grape juice, with buttery biscuits, lychees, wild strawberries, almonds, cereals, tea leaves. With time, the tannins grow and it becomes slightly sour, maintaining a pleasant freshness overall.
In the mouth the finishing is much more alive and present, with a certain roughness of the wood that pushes the red fruits and a good dose of spices (pepper, nutmeg), accompanied by apple strudel, sugar paste, panforte.
The finish is of medium length, dry and tannic, with pine nuts, tea leaves, nutmeg and wood.
The contribution of the wood is a bit messy, especially on the palate, where the Burgundy flexes its muscles and dominates, but the balance is saved by a whisker and manages not to go completely overboard. If you love ageing in wine, this dram could be for you.