Review by: Raygun

Glenburgie is owned by Chivas Brothers and goes mostly in Ballantine’s blends. Recently some single malts have been released under the Ballantine’s branding. The old distillery was demolished and replaced by new buildings in 2004, so it’s a little unclear whether this came from the old building or the new. I don’t believe they installed new still then, so it may not matter much. Bottled by Cadenhead’s under the Authentic Collection label. Reviewed from a sample from Ricebowl. Rested about 15 minutes. 

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Distillery: Glenburgie  

Bottler: Cadenhead’s    

Region/style: Speyside single malt Scotch

ABV: 53.6%. Cask strength.  

Age: 14 years. Distilled in 2004, bottled and released in winter 2018. 

Cask type: Bourbon hogshead, 294 bottles.

Color: 0.7 amber. Natural color. Non-chill-filtered.

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Nose: Malt-driven for sure. Caramel, dunnage warehouse, digestive biscuits. Pleasant woody fragrance. I hear a lot about tropical notes from Glenburgie, but not so much here. I do get pear.   

Palate: There’s a sharpness to it, even at a relatively low ABV. More fruit here. Gets a little more tropical, with pineapple and some mango along with pear and apple. All drizzled with caramel and served with biscuits. There’s a tickle of spice in the background. Furniture polish. 

Finish: Again lots of caramel. Moderate astringency. More oak than I’d expect for the age. Not just oak, but something like chestnut wood. The fruit gets overtaken by the wood and caramel. Black tea. The hint of spice again. Some cinnamon and cardamom, I’d say. 

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Conclusion: A paradox. Somehow managed to taste oaky, but also young and prickly. There is some pleasant fruit to it, but it gets crowded out by some other flavors. Ends up rather jumbled and overall average. Not the best the distillery has to offer. Nor the best of Cadenhead’s either, but they are not the most consistent bottler by any means. Some real highs, but plenty of average bottles, too. 

Buy a bottle? I’d skip it.

Score: 74

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky. (Convalmore 36)
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category. (Bruichladdich Black Art 4.1)
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram. (Ledaig 13 Amontillado)
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff. (Tomatin 18)
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting. (Glen Scotia 15)
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better. (Aultmore 12)
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink. (Glenmorangie 10)
• 50-59: Save it for mixing. (Old Pulteney 12)
• 0-49: Blech. (Muirhead’s Silver Seal 16)