Tullibardine 2012 Cadenhead's Original Collection 12 yo

 

 

 

46° 

Distillery : Tullibardine - Highlands

Bourbon Barrels and Palo Cortado Sherry Finish

Independent Bottling 

By William Cadenhead Limited 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

According to the Cadenhead website, this Tullibardine was showing signs of flatness in 2021, so the team had the idea of transferring it to Palo Cortado Sherry casks, to restore some of its vigour. And after three years of finishing, the juice is ready to conquer our palates. No indication has been given as to how many bottles were distributed.

Let's Taste It : 

The Sherry is intense, coppery, blood orange, apricot jam, candied cherries coated in dark chocolate, raspberry liqueur. Custard and whipped cream. The vanilla is in the background. Cake batter. It dries out on the palate, with cereals and dried fruit, a touch of citrus, young wood and mango. Rather discreet spices. Caramel lollipop. On the finish, iced coffee, salted butter toffee, it's powerful and quite long, autumn leaves, bark, resin, chestnut in its bug. Crushed quinces.

 

In Short, 

It's not bad at all. Indeed, the Palo Cortado Sherry gives it a bit of a swing. And it's a pleasant whisky to drink, well-made and balanced, marked by the Sherry, which would make a fine entry dram. The price is OK, but it's becoming hard to find.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Rosalie Cunningham - In the Shade of the Shadows

Tullibardine 225 Sauternes Cask Finish

 

 

 

43°

Distillery : Tullibardine - Highlands

1st Fill Bourbon Casks and Sauternes Barriques Finish

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2013

Unchillfiltered

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

This expression has been part of Tullibardine's regular range for a good ten years now. The label changed around 2020, but probably not the recipe. It is matured in first-fill Bourbon casks for 5 to 7 years, then finished for a year in Sauternes barriques from Château Suduiraut. These barriques hold 225 litres, hence the name.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Mentholated freshness, ginger, egg custard. Génoise, brioche, with orange blossom. Chlorophyll, honeysuckle. Honey and marshmallow. Aqueous but pleasant on the palate, full of white fruits, plums and grapes, pineapple, little vinous and floral touches, creamy vanilla, treacle, quince jelly. Malted cereals. Barely perceptible spices. Relatively long, correct, pleasant finish, green apples, cola, mint julep, crushed almonds. Shortbread biscuits.

 

In Short, 

I really liked it, the Sauternes brings a very pleasant fruity and sweet flavour, which erases the minor flaws of this rather young whisky. It's gourmand, it goes down well on its own, and it still has an identity. The price is right in general, but what bothers me is that it's becoming hard to find. Perhaps the distillery is considering discontinuing production? That would be a shame.

Score : 85 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Sunday (1994) - Tired Boy

Tullibardine 2015 100 Proof Edition #2 8 yo

 

 

 

57,1° (100° Proof)

Distillery : Tullubardine - Highlands 

1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butts

Independeent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated 

Second release in the new 100 Proof range launched by Signatory Vintage, this expression has been declined in 2949 bottles. It is a Tullibardine aged in first-fill Sherry Butts, and it appeared at the very beginning of 2024. 100 Proof is the old traditional measure of alcohol content in the UK, and is precisely 57.1°.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The Sherry is very much present, fermented grapes, morello cherries, caramel, leather, red fruits that are no longer of the first freshness, raspberries, blueberries, gooseberries, a touch of woody varnish. It becomes more balanced with a drop of water, and is slightly earthy and spicy. Amadou, prunes, it gets much more interesting after a while. On the palate, it's syrupy, black cherry, peppermint, sage leaf, melting caramel. The spices are discreet. The finish is longer than I expected, woody liquorice, vegetal notes and cola.

 

In Short, 

At first, I thought the Sherry was really too strong. You need to add a bit of water and wait a few minutes. Then a pleasant woodiness appears, and spices add complexity. It's a good whisky, but you need to give it time to breathe. As for the price, it's very reasonable, and anyone with a taste for this profile should try to buy it.

Score : 87

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Ripoff Raskolnikov - Toll-Gate Blues

Tullibardine 2006 Whisky Sponge Edition n°79 17 yo

 

 

 

52,7°

Distillery : Tullibardine - Highlands 

1st Fill Sherry Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By Decadent Drinks

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

At Whisky Sponge, each expression is numbered, and this is the 79th. It's a Tullibardine aged in a first-fill Sherry Hogshead, from which 283 bottles were extracted. When you see the colour of the juice, you think it's bound to be a Sherry Bomb, but in Single Cask, something more or less refined.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Very rancio start, apricot juice, fermented cherry purée, quince jam, candied blackcurrants. Floor wax, animal fat, smoked ham, figs and sultanas, chocolate fondant. Walnuts, hazelnuts. On the palate, less violent, more on vanilla and candied fruits, well oaked, with clove and cinnamon in the background. A few red fruits nonetheless. The finish is long and well-crafted, with liquorice, bitter oranges, clementines and chocolate powder used on cakes. Damp earth.

 

In Short, 

It is indeed a Sherry Bomb, but it's elaborate enough that we can't complain. It's very intense, but I didn't feel any sulphur. Frankly, I'm a great enthusiast of this kind of product, and I found it very successful here, exactly what it needed, without excess. It's completely sold out and I have no idea of the price, but if you find one, let me know.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso - La Conquista Della Posizione Eretta

Tullibardine 2010 Cadenhead Original Collection 12 yo

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : Tullibardine - Highlands 

Pedro Ximénez Sherry Finish

Independent Bottling 

By William Cadenhad Limited

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

This is my first Tullibardine, and for this discovery I would have preferred a more typical maturation to capture the finesse of the distillate. But you get what you can, and I have to make do with this juice finished in Pedro Ximénez casks. There are no details about the first maturation, the number of casks used, or the bottles produced, but as long as it's not chill-filtered, it's fine.

Let's Taste It : 

Above all, it's light and crystalline, despite the strong Sherry influence, with plenty of red fruits, leather, apple compote and strawberry jam. I smell iodine, it's airy, ethereal. Quite smooth. The palate is fruity, well-made but not exceptional, quinces, apricots and cherries, a few raspberries, rich spices but not heady. The finish is long, on green tea, but not explosive, humus, cloves, earth and chocolate, forest undergrowth. Compote-like dates and figs.

 

In Short, 

Very nice. It doesn't have the distillery's real personality, but the juice is both sherried and iodised, smooth and fairly well-balanced. I think it's a good job, and the price is decent, so it's worth thinking about buying.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                            Heartless Bastards - Only for You