It was not all that long ago that The Whisky Exchange presented us with another 21 year old Glenburgie for Black Friday 2019. That was a vatting, here we’re into single cask territory (#900888) with a 1998 vintage matured in an ex-bourbon hogshead for 21 years. 254 bottles have been produced at an ABV of 55.4%. They’re available via the Whisky Exchange for £120 a pop.
Nose: A sharp and sweet combination of macerated and preserved fruits – pears (and Poire William), balled melon, candied lemon peels and a swig of pineapple juice. Running throughout, a combination of wood polish and brassiness – alongside barley water and lemon drizzled sugared pancakes. Dilution reveals additional fruitiness with peach melba, pineapple upside-down cake and a vein of biscuity champagne yeast.
Taste: Instant sweetness. And instant bright fruits. Fresh, tinned, jellied and compiled into a fresh salad – pear, peach, apricot and pineapple with lemon drops. The mid-palate again expresses polished oakiness, whilst white chocolate and creamy anglaise sit with barley water and a scattering of dried floral petals. The addition of water amps up the sweetness further – gummies, hard candies upfront and then an interesting nettle and steeped tea combination in the back palate.
Finish: Medium to long in length with souring tinned fruits, expanding pepperiness and restrained oak. Noticeably shorter in length when diluted.
Fruit-bomb Glenburgie – expressive, defined and with the cask influence well in check. This possesses a few additional nuances under the hood, particularly when a few drops of water added – just a shame that the effect on the finish was a reduction in length, but that’s starting to be nit-picky.