Whisky: Glenburgie 14 Year SMWS 71.79 “Adventurously awesome”

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 58.7%

Cask: First Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel

Age: 14 Years (Distilled 20 Sept. 2006)

Nose: Fruity, herbal, and creamy. An initial burst of fruit with cherries, strawberries, and snake fruit wafted out of the glass before a striking herbaceousness joined in with fresh resinous rosemary, mint, and catnip. Mint and chocolate put mint chocolate chip ice cream firmly in mind with hints of cream, vanilla, mentos, and a limestone-water chalkiness in the background.

Palate: Medium-bodied with a robust and juicy profile of cream, fruit, and spice. Strawberry cream cheese assumed the spotlight before rosemary and herbal notes appeared from stage left. Strawberries and sticky plum cake dominated the mid-palate as a drying chili spice slowly coalesced. Notes of Mexican chocolate— chilis, cinnamon, dried cherry, and dark cocoa lingered with a stone-like minerality at the end.

Finish: Limestone water and fruits.

Score: 8

Mental Image: Mint Chip Special

Notes: I love a vibrant young Glenburgie, so my score might be a bit inflated by my fandom and general appreciation for the distillery. I would enlist right away if there were a BTS-style Glenburgie Army Fanclub.

I enjoyed the contrasting herbal and fruity elements of this dram and the chili spice that appeared on the back end of the palate. I have never encountered an herbal note that stole the spotlight, quite like the rosemary note on the nose. It reminded me of the sticky-oily sap that can cover the hands when plucking fresh springs from the bush and immediately using them to season food. The herbal notes worked well with the fruit, though the gradual appearance of chocolate left me firmly thinking about mint chocolate chip ice cream. I'm not too fond of the combination of mint and chocolate, so it was a wonder that I still enjoyed this dram. 

The palate was creamier than the aroma let on, though the overall structure was similar as fruits and herbal notes appeared at the top, while chocolate and spice emerged toward the end. There was a nice mineral undercurrent to the whole experience, which provided some earthy-stone contrast as other elements faded.

Overall, I am a sucker for Glenburgie, and this was no exception. It tied for second-best of the evening, with a number of first-place votes (even from peat-heads such as my wife) at a recent whisky club tasting.