Whisky: Glenburgie 27 Year (1995), Thompson Brothers for K&L

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 51.1%

Cask: Refill Hogshead

Age: 27 Years (Distilled 1995, Bottled 2023)

Nose: Mellow and mild with gentle tropical fruits and a floral whisper; dried wood and desiccated coconut with achiote and hibiscus; floral tropical tea with buttery shortbread and pineapple jam.

Palate: Medium-bodied, oily at times, tropical fruits, florals, herbs, and wood; tart fruits and fragrant hibiscus or achiote tea; dark chocolate and roasted tea leaves near the end with a touch of bitter wood.

Finish: Medium to long with a mellow bitterness, buttery pastry, tangy florals, and pineapple jam.

Score: 7 (84)

Mental Image: Morning Tea in the Botanical Garden Gazebo

Narrative & Notes: The aroma was mellow and mild, like waking up in a tropical dreamland—the scent of fruits and florals promised morning tea in a botanical garden. Woodsy notes of cured bamboo and an old gazebo beheld a feast of buttery pastries and shortbread cakes topped with macerated dried coconut flakes or filled with pineapple jam. On the side, pots of tropical tea with herbal-floral achiote (annatto), hibiscus, and passion flower. Medium-bodied and oily, the flavor profile reprised those tropical fruits, florals, herbs, and wood.  White pineapple and green mango presented dueling notions of sweet and tart tropical fruits with a touch of bitter dark chocolate and oak.  The floral and herbal elements were more subtle, with roasted tea pushing into the passion flower, achiote, and hibiscus.  The finish was medium to long with a mellow bitterness following buttery pastry and pineapple jam in a flower garden.

Another delightful 1995 Glenburgie from the warehouses of Signatory Vintage— the Thompson Brothers, as usual, made off with a great cask. I loved the interplay of sweet, tart, and bitter tropical fruits and floral notions.  I know that a bit of bitterness at the end will not please everyone, but I found it gave some great contrast and additional structure to a slightly simple, but very mature, Glenburgie.

Overall, I am a simple person— I see 1995 Glenburgie and I have to try it because I know it will be good. While this lacked some of the juiciness of my favorite Glenburgie from those June 1995 distillations and had some stronger floral elements, especially with more time to breathe, it was still an absolute delight.