Tullibardine 225 Sauternes Finish

After reviewing their Sovereign expression I’m eager to continue up the line to see how these different finishing casks compare. I don’t know much about Sauternes but I doubt that will get in the way of my enjoyment. The nose takes you on a bit of a trip, initially there is lots of fruit and honey, then it disappears and I’m transported to the malting floor of the distillery... rich earthy cereal notes aplenty. But then back up the roller coaster you go, into more citrus mixed with some peppery spice. It very much reminds me of Glenmorangie 10. The first sip coats your palate in a syrupy sweetness, which doesn’t sound good as I type it but it is quite pleasant. This layer gives the zingy peppery notes something to cling to as they wake up the sides of the tongue while everywhere else is engulfed in a rich umami dominated by malted grain. Finish goes back to the tried and true pepper notes, which aren’t necessarily spicy but demand you pay attention. This is a not a very complex dram, in fact somewhat simple, but what’s there is delicious and interesting enough to want to keep going for another sip. I have the 228 and 500 to try next and if this is the improvement on the Sovereign I’m in for a treat this week.

It smells a little like hay and grain. The palate is a bit confrontational with some young wood and alcohol coming out. There are some nice honey and orange notes. There is definitely cereal in here. There's some rye tartness too. It's sippable for sure, but it would really benefit from some more age. It's about on the level of Macallan 12 in terms of quality. There is lots of fruit and mineral with some bitter richness from the barrel. The grain gives it a clean flavor with some bit of malty richness. The balances is a bit akilter and the flavor is not very full, but it could be great with more aging. There's a hint of some pineapple and maybe mango in with the orange. I wish that bitterness were less in the way, but it is also what keeps this from just tasting like flavored water. A slightly peaty bitterness lingers in a less-than-appealing way, but it does carry a harvest apple with it. This is not quite on the level of Macallan 12 Sherry, but I could still sip it. There is certainly too much alcohol flavor in here.

My second Tullibardine, this one is a whisky that has been matured using a sauterness finish, to give it an enhanced flavor profile. Bottled at 43%abv On the nose: Pepper right in the nose. Herbal, Aniseed, Azafran. Super spicy on the nose, Reminds me of the turkish bazaar. Honey. Very interesting On the palate: Honey and pepper. Pineapple and Almonds. A little straightforward but not bad. Aftertaste is good. Smoky like a burning cigar, Dry grass. Powerful smoky flavor. Tobacco. Overall this is a nice dram, interesting and can be used to pair it with some exciting dishes but i wouldn't have this as my first option for an everyday dram. 81/100

It would be easy to dismiss this as mediocre spirit disguised by a slightly heavy-handed application of sweet wine barrel flavour. All of that is true. Nonetheless it is not without charm as the result is better than it might have been. A nose of citrus and vanilla and syrup. In the mouth, those flavours remain, with the addition of spice. The alcohol is a little brutal however although not quite enough to spoil the party. A predictable desert wine flavour hangs about at the end but not for long. The rrp is around £40. I paid £30. At that price, it was an interesting experiment but not a drop I'll buy again.

Mind blown! This amazing bottle is filled with subtlety. A nose kicked off by red velvet cake blossoming into a ever so subtle nuttiness and closing with the endowed sauterne finish. There’s not real separation between the various noses and it absolutely flows so smoothly. The first sip is a pleasant warmth, like you have the first time you see your best friend from childhood. A bit of fruit and then caramels that roll into a oak and then the sauterne. This made me sit down and re nose and re taste to make sure I wasn’t imagining the experience. A beautiful bottle.

An elegant, Single Malt Scotch Whisky by Tullibardine Distillery in Highlands, Scotland finished in a 225 liter cask (thus the name) which previously held maturing Sauternes dessert wine from Chateau Suduiraut. It has an aromatic birth with notes of orange, grapefruit zest, vanilla cream, golden syrup, black pepper, allspice & cocoa butter; while a spicy life adds notes of orange candy, Seville marmalade, dried pineapple & white chocolate; that led to a long, rich & spicy death with notes of lemon. June / October 2020 / August 2022