Tullibardine 228
Nestled in the town of Blackford and surrounded by the Ochil Hills, Tullibardine (Gaelic – lookout hill) was converted from an old brewery and began distilling in 1949, making it a relatively young distillery. Blackford is a sort of gateway to the highlands, and for many years Tullibardine simply matured their offerings in sherry casks. At some point along the way, however, they have begun taking their base offering and providing a series of different finishes in the final year of aging (currently Sauternes, Burgundy and Sherry). With the Tullibardine 228, the number denotes the liters the cask held. Burgundy is not a finish seen terribly often with whiskies, so we are very curious to to see what this single malt offers. Recently, these whiskies have been discontinued and a new core range offered.
Edradour 12 Year “Caledonia”
This is a release made by Edradour from a cask specifically chosen by Scottish composer Douglas Maclean in 2009 from a selection first distilled in 1997. There’s even a video. His music may sound familiar to some, for his piece “The Gael” was adapted by Trevor Jones for the movie The Last of the Mohicans in 1992. His other famous piece is “Caledonia,” after which this spirit is named. Three cheers to a small distillery like Edradour that can take a highly unique step like this. It may not be around forever, but a bottling like this deserves enough attention to fill your glass. Now, more importantly, what special qualities did Dougie Maclean taste in this whisky?
Arran Sauternes Cask
Situated on Arran, full of castles and fascinating landmarks like the King’s Cave and the Machrie Moor Stone Circles, this lovely isle once had 30 underground distilleries operating on it. It is very clear they embrace their history and infuse it in their whisky right alongside their water and barley. This penchant is shown in the names of some offerings, which include the Robert Burns, the Machrie Moor, and the Devil’s Punchbowl. They even have a cream liqueur! The Arran Sauternes Cask is distilled for 8 years in regular oak casks, then finished in Sauternes wine casks (Sauternes, in case you ever wondered, is a sweet white wine from Bordeaux).