Review by: Raygun

The First Editions is a Hunter Laing label. I’ve mostly seen it at higher age statements: 20 and up. The Authors’ Series in particular seems to feature hyperaged stuff. This is a more modest 15-year-old Glenburgie, an exclusive for Hengjiou Spirits in Taiwan. Notes compiled over several weeks of tasting. Rested about 15 minutes.

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Distillery: Glenburgie  

Bottler: Hunter Laing  

Region/style: Speyside single malt Scotch 

ABV: 51%.  

Age: 15 years. Distilled in 2007 and bottled in 2023. 

Cask type: Bourbon barrel #HL 20313, 211 bottles.

Color:  0.8 deep gold. Natural color and non-chill-filtered.

Price: $142

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Nose: Graham crackers, honey, and some fresh fruit. Heavy on peaches especially, and there’s apples, oranges, melon, and green grapes. More oak than I’d expect for the age, but it is a barrel of course.      

Palate: Some cream and scones join the oak. Now the fruit seems more like peach jam, but maybe that’s the scones talking. Like an English cream tea if it were served in a wood shop for some reason. More honey, with a particularly floral taste. Orange and even some mango. Some pepperiness to it. Nice richness without being too sweet.

Finish: Pretty oaky here as well. Back to peaches, melon, oranges, and grapes with the scones, and a little cinnamon and nutmeg. Caramel is more evident. Lots of cream. It is a tad sharp here. A little better with water, which brings out the fruit more.     

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Conclusion: It’s an oaky one for sure. The fruit is pretty typical for Glenburgie. The spiciness is kind of an outlier, but an active barrel could explain it. Nice creaminess. Just would have liked the oak dialed down a touch to let the other flavors shine. It improved as I went through the bottle, I felt. Grew on me over time.

Score: 83

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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)