Review by: Raygun

I’ve heard Glenburgie talked up a lot (mostly by Whiskery Turnip), but not had that much experience with it myself. The ones I’ve had have ranged from average to very good: consistency does not seem to be hallmark. The distillery itself is part of the Chivas Brothers group and mostly goes into Ballantine’s, though I believe they’ve started releasing a single malt. This particular cask was selected by and bottle for Spec’s in Texas. Reviewed from a sample thanks to chief Glenburgie stan Whiskery Turnip. Rested about 15 minutes.

---

Distillery: Glenburgie     

Bottler: Signatory Vintage    

Region/style: Speyside single malt Scotch

ABV: 59.2%. Cask strength.   

Age: 28 years. Distilled on June 20, 1995 and bottled on September 5, 2023

Cask type: Bourbon hogshead #6673, 240 bottles

Color: 1.1 burnished. Natural color and chill-filtered.

---

Nose: One sniff and I’m pretty sure this will be my jam. There’s some grassiness, but mainly very fruity. Pear, grapefruit, mango, and melon. A dash of mint.                

Palate: Oh, interesting. Still a big fruit salad, with much the same fruits as the nose. Dried pineapple as well. Now joined by some white pepper. There’s some herbal sharpness, too, perhaps culantro. Nicely tropical, but with a fun twist or two. Somehow gets even fruitier with a few drops of water.      

Finish: A turn toward some caramel with more pineapple, mango, and melon. Still has that herbal kick. A creamy aspect that reminds me of the condensed milk on mango pudding. Takes on some fruit tea. Pretty drying.      

---

Conclusion: This is an excellent Glenburgie. I’m a sucker for a tropical malt to begin with, and the little peppery and herbal kick just make it more interesting without clashing with the fruit flavors. Really enjoy the creaminess that comes out on the finish as well. Just lovely stuff from start to finish. Seems like I need to seek out this distillery more. 

Score: 88

---

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)