Meandering the world, one whisky at a time

Whisky of the Week header photos of whisky bottles WOTWColour

Tag: Rating: Very Good Page 6 of 22

Whisky of the Week review and tasting notes for whisky I rated Very Good.  When the dram is  enjoyable and memorable, and we don’t mind having another glass later in the week. This is bottles I might use for cocktails and the occasional afternoon sipper.  Rating: Very Good

Toor Whisky

Toor whisky header
I saw a colourful bottle of whisky on social media. The label was a vibrant turquoise blue with a captivating name; Toor whisky. In Afrikaans, my home language, the word means bewitch. I was fortunate to be sent a bottle by Redford Beverages, so today, let’s look at the story behind this bewitching brand.

Tullibardine 228 Burgundy Finish Whisky

Tullibardine 228 whisky header
I was in the mood to try a whisky finished in red wine casks again, so my choice this week is the Tullibardine 228 Burgundy finish single malt Scotch whisky. It has been so long since I tried a red wine cask (Three Ships Shiraz Cask) and even longer since I had a Tullibardine.

Tullibardine distillery is a Highland distillery located in Blackford, Perth and Kinross. Some level of brewing and distilling has taken place on the site since the 1800s, but the distillery in its current format opened in 1949.

The distillery changed hands a few times, and then in 1995, the distillery was mothballed by then-owner Whyte & Mackay. In 2003, it was sold to Tullibardine Distillery Ltd, who resumed production and then, in 2011, it was sold to the French firm Picard Vins & Spiritueux. The French wine and spirit group also owns the Highland Queen and Muirhead brands.

Also Read: Michel Couvreur Peaty Whisky

The Tullibardine range whisky was released in 2013. The Tullibardine 228 whisky was finished for 12 months in a 228 litre Burgundy barrique from Chateau de Chassagne Montrachet.

Red Burgundy wine is recognised for its raspberry, blackberry and cherry notes. Burgundy is not a finish seen often with whiskies. The only other whisky I could see with this finish is the Edradour Burgundy Finish.

The Tullibardine 228 Burgundy Finish single malt is a NAS release. Other releases from the Tullibardine distillery include a the Tullibardine 225 Sauterness Finish, the Tullibardine 500 Sherry Finish and Tullibardine 15 yo whisky.




 Tullibardine 228 Burgundy Finish Whisky Review

Tullibardine 228 whisky with glass
REGION: Highlands

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: Ruby gold

NOSE: Malt and red fruits mixed with toasted oak and honey. A few raw alcohol notes. Not the most complex nose. Faint hints of cherries and vanilla.

PALATE: Red fruits of the forest, creamy malt, hints of toasted nuts with vanilla sugar. After the glass stood a bit, berry notes and apple came through, and some alcohol heat dissipated. Bits of oak with black pepper. Medium body and with a slight drying mouthfeel. Water brings more honey sweetness to the front and tempers the heat. A bit young with a few raw notes.

FINISH: Medium length with notes of red fruit, oak and sugar sweetness.

RATING: VERY GOOD

You can pick up the distinct red berry notes from the burgundy casks in this Tullibardine. A pleasant enough red wine finish, and I will not struggle to finish this bottle. However, I think if this spent a year or two more in the barrels, the rough edges would soften, making it spectacular.

I suspect that this is a dram that will work magically with some cheese, a theory I need to investigate. The Tullibardine 228 whisky is unavailable in SA at present. When it was available, it retailed for around R 550.

Also Read: Glengoyne 21 yo Whisky



Glen Grant 10 year old Whisky

Glen Grant 10 yo whisky header
The last time I wrote about a Glen Grant whisky was in 2019 when I looked at the 12 year old Non Chill-Filtered. I need to rectify this oversight, as it is a whisky distillery that I like. So today, I look at the Glen Grant 10 year old single malt Scotch whisky.

Cutty Sark Whisky

Cutty Sark blended Scotch Whisky Review header
Many many years ago, a group of friends went for a holiday in Zimbabwe. We first stopped off in the rugged Eastern Highland for some trout fishing and then made our way up to Lake Kariba.

Johnnie Walker Swing Blended Whisky

Johnnie Walker Swing Blended Whisky header
This week I try another blend, one in a unique bottle, the Johnnie Walker Swing blended Scotch whisky.  Johnnie Walker is owned by Diageo and originated in Kilmarnock, Scotland. It is the most widely distributed Scottish blended whisky brand  in the world.

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