Good Day Everyone. Today we will take a look at two very budget friendly but also very tasty Highland single malts. There are not so many bottles that I bought twice and finished twice. There are just so many great options, so many choices in the world of whisk(e)y that for me buying a bottle twice is very rare. Well these two bottles are among these rarities. I am talking about Tullibardine 228 Burgundy Cask and the Tullibardine 500 Sherry Cask. Oh.. and I have an unopened 500 Sherry Cask waiting for me on my shelf.... I already wrote an article about a few Tullibardine bottles, make sure to check it out. [Tullibardine Trio - The Marquess Collection] Let's get right into it.

Tullibardine distillery is a Scottish distillery, producing single malt whiskies. It's located in Blackford, Perth and Kinross, close to the Ochil Hills and the Danny Burn, their main water sources. Tullibardine's history of brewing and distilling dates back to 1488, when King James IV of Scotland stopped by the site, a brewery at the time, to purchase beer. This was recorded as the first public purchase of beer in Scotland. In 1947 William Delme-Evans, distillery manager visited the same spot and found that the mineral rich character and purity of the water from nearby springs situated in Perthshire's Ochil Hills was perfect for distillation. They started distilling whisky in 1949. The distillery was mothballed in 1995 by then owner Whyte & Mackay. In 2003, it was sold to Tullibardine Distillery Ltd, who resumed production. In 2011, the distillery was sold to the French firm Picard Vins & Spiritueux. This firm in 2013 created an entity for the spirits named Terroirs Distillers. The distillery produces a variety of single malts. Their core range consists of the Sovereign, 225 Sauternes Finish, 228 Burgundy Finish, 500 Sherry Cask Finish and the 15-20-25 year old bottlings. They also have several Distillery Editions that you can pick up during your visit and the Marquess Collection.

Tullibardine 228 Burgundy Cask Finish -Natural Color(?) Non-chill filtered(?), 43%

"The auburn hue of this whisky comes directly from its time spent in the 228 litre barriques that previously held Pinot Noir from Chateau de Chassagne-Montrachet. The nose of the 228 features red cherries and vanilla with hints of chocolate and Turkish Delight. On the palate, there is a real hint of red summer fruit, more chocolate and a sweet spice note on the finish."

What is Burgundy?

Burgundy wine is made in the Burgundy region of eastern France, in the valleys and slopes west of the Saône, a tributary of the Rhône. The most famous wines produced here, and those commonly referred to as "Burgundies", are dry red wines made from pinot noir grapes and white wines made from chardonnay grapes. Burgundy has a higher number of appellations d'origine contrôlée (AOCs) than any other French region, and is often seen as the most terroir-conscious of the French wine regions. The various Burgundy AOCs are classified from carefully delineated grand cru vineyards down to more non-specific regional appellations. Burgundy is home to some of the most expensive wines in the world, including those of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Domaine Leroy, Henri Jayer, Domaine Leflaive and Domaine Armand Rousseau.

Nose: Right away very nice sweetness and fruitiness on the nose. Vanilla, orange zest and toffee. Dark fruits such as raisins and plums. Cherries and strawberries. A lovely hint of dark chocolate and cocoa. In the background some pear and red apples. Red wine and a heavy nuttiness.

Taste: Very dry and sweet. Round and complex. A bit sour(?). Vanilla arrives with grapes and fudge. Raisins, plums and cherries. A nice harmony of spices such as cinnamon and cardamom. Dark chocolate, cocoa and dry wood. It's sweet & sour, very well balanced. Not too sweet, not to dry, not too sour. There is no unpleasant note to be found here. This whisky tastes anywhere from 12 to 18 years old. Great stuff.

Finish: Little bit dry, touch of alcohol, bitter cocoa, espresso. A nice amount of spiciness, some sourness, after some time there is an interesting earty, herbal taste with liquorice. A nice long finish.

Overall I think this whisky is more than what it seems to be. It's advertised as a NAS whisky, but I am sure that this whisky has more aged stuff than young stuff inside. If I had to guess I'd say this is around 12-14 years old average. But that's just me. This whisky shows a lot of maturity and it's quite complex and deep. I rate this whisky 85 / 100.

This whisky is not rated good only just by me. It appears in several of Mr. Horst Lüning's "My Bar' videos. Mr. Horst Lüning is the founder of whisky.de and whisky.com, a very well known and respected man in the whisky business. And it's very curious that it re-appears in these videos or even that it got into his bar. He usually keeps whiskies in his bar that are aged for 20+ years. This is the only NAS whisky I've ever seen in his bar videos. That means this whisky is special for him and that he likes it. So yeah, I think this whisky is more than what it seems to be.

Whisky of the Month (August 2023) on the whisky.com YouTube channel, picked by Mr. Horst Lüning.

Tullibardine 500 Sherry Cask Finish -Natural Color(?) Non-chill filtered(?), 43%

"Tullibardine 500 Sherry Cask Finish is matured in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels before spending time in 500 litre Oloroso sherry butts to give it a rich sherried finish. The deep, nutty brown colour comes from the time spent in the sherry casks as well as lots of the aromas and flavours you'd expect. On the nose there's intense toffee apple notes with a hint of oatmeal. These notes combine with a spicy, viscous mouthfeel and more Christmas spices on the palate, before ending with sweet dates and a peppery finish."

What is Sherry?

Most of you definitely know what sherry is. It is the most used cask after bourbon barrels in the whisky industry. But for those who don't know, Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the city of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia, Spain. Sherry is a drink produced in a variety of styles made primarily from the Palomino grape, ranging from light versions similar to white table wines, such as Manzanilla and fino, to darker and heavier versions that have been allowed to oxidise as they age in barrel, such as Amontillado and Oloroso. Sweet dessert wines are also made from Pedro Ximénez or Moscatel grapes, and are sometimes blended with Palomino-based sherries. Oloroso is a variety of sherry aged oxidatively for a longer time than a Fino or Amontillado, producing a darker and richer wine. With alcohol levels between 18 and 20%, Olorosos are the most alcoholic sherries. Like Amontillado, naturally dry, they are often also sold in sweetened versions called Cream sherry (first made in the 1860s by blending different sherries, usually including Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez).

Nose: OK, sweetness rises with a certain sour note. Dry, acidic. Lots of fruits such as lemons, oranges, pears and apples. Dark fruits are also here such as raisins, sultanas, dates and figs. There is a very thin layer of almost-sweet malt. Raspberries, strawberries dipped into milk chocolate. Cocoa and espresso.

Taste: Syrupy body. Very sweet, very round and complex. Much sweeter on the tongue than what the nose suggests. Pear drop flavor, lemon peel, and DARK cherries. A nice sweet malty base. Juicy raisins, figs and sultanas. Cocoa and espresso with dark chocolate. Very tasty and again this is also sweet & sour. The acidity that can be smelled is nowhere to be found. Great palate.

Finish: Medium-long. Raw wildflower honey, malt, and here not even a hint of bitterness or sourness. Fades slowly evolving into fruitiness. Raspberry, strawberry and milk chocolate. Coconut with vanilla and toffee. Some wood note at the very end.

Overall I think this is a nice whisky. It's great for a beginner but also for an intermediate whisky drinker too. All in all it bounces well between sweet & sour, maintaining a great experiece for us enjoyers. However I think I prefer the 228 Burgundy Cask Finish a bit more so I'll rate this whisky 84 / 100. Still, go out there and buy it, for 45 euros it is a steal. Great value.

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Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. To many more. Sláinte.