A rarity in the Turnip household— Glendullan is uncommon fare from independent bottlers. Like most distilleries, the bulk of its production goes to blended whiskies. However, unlike most, it has long been released as a single malt product by Distillers Limited Company, now Diageo who release it under the “Singleton” line with Dufftown and Glen Ord. I won this bottle at auction a few years back, curious to try an older edition of Glendullan and ultimately shared it with some online friends during a mystery whisky series.

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Whisky: Glendullan 24 Year (1993), Gordon & MacPhail Cask 8339

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 56.6%

Cask: Refill American Oak Hogshead

Age: 24 Years (Distilled 22 Sept. 1993, Bottled 22 Feb. 2018)

Notes: Apple picking in the orchard as green apples and the odd pear arrived first with more sweet buttery pastries, glazed donuts, and candied green grapes close behind. Pear juice and wood joined woody pecan shells, sugary shoo-fly pie, and gentle summer flowers. Medium-bodied, the palate featured a crisp apple acidity and sweet Korean pears, with the flavor profile slowly turning toward glazed donuts and sweet pies— apple custard perhaps. Buttery and sweet with a lovely oily quality and occasional hints of perilla leaf, pepper, and persimmon.  The finish was long with plenty of wood, vanilla, butter, and apple pastries.

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Score: 7 (82)

Mental Image: Apple-Fest at the Orchard

Conclusion: Nothing fancy or spectacular, just a bog-standard enjoyable whisky— the kind you do not mind pouring over and over. The flavors lay in the direction of malty sugars and orchard fruits with occasional diversions toward something more intriguing; a hint or herbs or more exotic fruits. It was about what you might expect from Glendullan, which is not often seen outside of Diageo’s Singelton range in North America— and those bottles are fairly similar to this, though turned down a few notches in intensity.

Overall, a delightful whisky, though not a memorable one. As a final note, this whisky took to water really well and I thought the mouthfeel and balance of flavors benefited from at least a few drops.