Tullibardine 2013/2023 - 9 yo - 1st Fill Four-Grain Cask - Murray McDavid

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 46% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

This Tullibardine initially matured in Bourbon Hogsheads before being finished in American Four-Grain whiskey casks. Murray McDavid selected 110-litre casks from Koval that were being used to finish Scotch for the first time. Their previous contents were made from oats, malted barley, rye and wheat, without corn. Four-Grain therefore refers to the American whiskey previously matured in these casks, not to the grain composition of the Scottish Single Malt.

Tullibardine distilled the whisky in 2013. After nine years of maturation, Murray McDavid released it in spring 2023 as part of the Benchmark series. The release comprises 1,220 bottles. The Single Malt was bottled at 46% alcohol without chill filtration or colouring. The bottle contains 0.7 litres and comes in gift packaging.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, creamy vanilla and pastries combine with citrus notes.
• Palate: On the palate, buttery malt notes meet toasted oak.
• Finish: Caramel, nut brittle and spicy notes linger on the finish.

Distillery/Bottler:

Tullibardine is one of the more southerly Highland distilleries. Its site has a long brewing history: King James IV bought beer there as early as 1488. William Delme-Evans visited in 1947 and recognised the potential of the water from the Ochil Hills for distillation. He converted the brewery site into a whisky distillery, which uses the Danny Burn as its water source. Following a closure from 1993 to 2003, Tullibardine resumed production under new owners.

Tullibardine's equipment today includes a Porteus mill, ten washbacks and four copper pot stills. The site also houses a cooperage, maturation warehouses and a bottling facility. Independent bottler Murray McDavid is responsible for selecting and releasing this Benchmark bottling.

Murray McDavid was founded in 1994 by wine merchants Mark Reynier and Simon Coughlin, together with Gordon Wright of Springbank Distillery. Their experience with wine influenced the choice of casks: the company became particularly known for maturing whisky in unusual casks and casks previously used for fine wines. Today, it is based at Coleburn Distillery in Speyside. The Four-Grain finish illustrates this approach with a different previous filling: here, an ex-American whiskey cask complements the maturation instead of a wine cask.

Facts: