Eight Tullibardine, for glory and for flavour


February 11, 2026

Eight Tullibardine, for glory and for flavour

Tullibardine

(Tullibardine)

A distillery full of merit, and one that truly deserves greater recognition. We're ready to spread the word!

Tullibardine ‘500 Sherry Finish’ (43%, OB, +/-2021)

The label states this is ‘A Drop of Pure Highland Gold’ and we’ve no reason whatsoever to doubt it. The number 500 would appear to refer to the cask capacity, and certainly not to the 500 miles of Indianapolis (S.? All good?). I should add that we’d tasted earlier iterations of this 500 and had rather liked them. Colour: full gold. Nose: lovely, slightly yeasty, showing notes of fresh walnut and overripe apple, a combination that, to our mind, always works. A few hints of bark and some wood dust as well. Mouth: really not much to add, it’s a charming malt, quite close in style to some excellent beers, dry in just the right way, unassuming, yet that’s very much part of its appeal. Farmhouse cider, tobacco, slightly bitter walnuts. Finish: not very long but nicely dry and bitter. Comments: a very young and inexpensive malt (I believe) but one full of merit.
SGP:461 - 80 points.

Tullibardine 30 yo 1993 (47.9%, The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore, 222 bottles, +/-2024)

Tullibardine 30 yo 1993 (47.9%, The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore, 222 bottles, +/-2024)
We’re placing this venerable version here due to its bottling strength, you see. These old Tullibardines are really not common at all. As they say round here, they don’t grow on vines. Colour: Californian chardonnay. Just kidding. Nose: absolutely all-in on weissbier, brewing wort, bread dough, a bakery at five in the morning, cider apples, even a dab of cider vinegar—but just a dab. Simply astounding for something thirty years of age. Mouth: it’s improbable stuff, not very balanced, hyper-fermentary, highly peppery, verging on acidic, and yet I utterly adore that sensation of tasting… … … new make. It’s genuinely excellent, albeit rather unlikely. Finish: fairly long, with honey and mead making a late appearance to lend body, if not quite sweetness. Still, what brilliant acidity. Comments: an improbable, disconcerting old malt, yet in the end, marvellous, if you’re into all things natural. Natural wine? Here comes natural whisky.
SGP:451 - 90 points.

Time to hand this back to the juniors…

Tullibardine 13 yo 2012/2025 (54%, Cadenhead, Chairman’s Stock, hogshead)

Alas, this wee one spent its final two years in tawny Port casks, but one never knows, perhaps it managed to retain its DNA? Colour: dear me, redder than raspberry jelly! Nose: this is where all your certainties come crashing down—there’s not a hint of raspberry, cherry, strawberry, blackcurrant or redcurrant (S., message received), instead we’re getting fresh croissant and toasted gingerbread. The worst part is, for now, it works. With water: not bad, cigarette tobacco, fresh concrete... Mouth (neat): blimey, it’s actually good, thanks to the pepper taking full control. That said, I must admit there’s still a fair amount of red fruit in the background, which is borderline off-putting. A sort of artisan Campari. With water: no idea what that is. Salted and peppered orange liqueur. Finish: jammy, peppery. Artificial wild strawberry (yep). Comments: I’d be rather surprised if the Chairman of WM Cadenhead, with his access to endless Springbanks, drinks this sort of thing on the regular.
SGP:551 - 78 points.

Tullibardine 11 yo 2013/2025 (53%, Decadent Drams, 2nd-fill sherry hogshead, 242 bottles)

I must admit I’m very curious now—why has our Angus, prince of the singular yet classical malts, chosen a Tullibardine just 11 years of age? Colour: gold. Nose: scones, shortbread, sesame oil, kouign-amann, buttercream… Right, got it. With water: leaves, cherry tree, peach, fig… Mouth (neat): perhaps a few walnutty touches from the sherry, otherwise it’s all pepper and small white fruits. Not a jot of softness or sweetness, this baby’s taut as an Olympic bow. With water: a few gentler notes (bergamots), though it still holds tight as a G-string. Finish: fairly long, veering more towards bread and yeast. Comments: this is really lovely, very close to nature, ultimately quite minimalist, though perhaps not as memorable as Symphony No.40 in G minor KV 550 or indeed Crosstown Traffic.
SGP:451 - 83 points.

Tullibardine 10 yo 2015/2025 (55.6%, Hogshead Import, 1st fill vinsanto octave, 71 bottles)

Vinsanto? Why not! Don’t they say all tastes are found in nature… Colour: full gold. Nose: I’d say the vinsanto doesn’t really show, and I’d add that this is all for the better. Fresh brioches and green tea, plus green peppercorns. With water: the oak does come through in the end, leaning towards chamomile and a sort of ‘English breakfast’ tea vibe. Right. Mouth (neat): lemon drizzle cake and green pepper. Very good. With water: herbal. Not sure dilution does it many favours. Finish: medium length, herbal in flavour. Comments: comfortably above average, though let’s be honest, it’s no Brora 1972.
SGP:451 - 80 points.

Maybe it's best to have one last one, or maybe two or three...

Tullibardine 9 yo 2015/2025 ‘Edition #44’ (57.1%, Signatory Vintage, 100 proof, 1st and 2nd fill oloroso butt)

Truly, what a marvellous ‘budget’ series from Signatory… Colour: deep gold. Nose: cedarwood and candied oranges, plus bergamots and nougat—what more could one want? Nothing, absolutely nothing. With water: straw, hay, cigars, bread dough. And bread dough is always something to cherish under such circumstances. Mouth (neat): magnificently peppery, then bursting with turmeric, liquorice and coffee bean. It’s utterly full-on in the spice department, to say the least, but it’s great fun. Perhaps just a touch too much, on second thought? With water: we return to pure malt, herbs, earth, yeast… And the sherry’s walnuts! Finish: fairly long, a tad austere, bitter, herbal and, above all, honest. A trace of oregano on the aftertaste, which is rather amusing. Comments: lots of fondness for this fine series from Signatory, which generally manages to outshine its official counterparts without breaking a sweat.
SGP:461 - 84 points.

Tullibardine 10 yo 2015/2025 (44.1%, Jean Boyer, Gifted Stills, hogshead, 392 bottles)

Colour: white wine. Nose: all manner of beers, cardboard, old papers, straw, yeast and fresh bread. All of it works… beautifully. Mouth: very good, close to barley, with hints of kirsch and almonds—which, we agree, are more or less the same thing, in a kind of way. Finish: lovely length, with slightly tart apple and a touch of chalk. Comments: Scottish nature in your glass—it’s almost moving. Indeed.
SGP:351 - 83 points.

Just one more, scout’s honour…

Tullibardine 6 yo (54.9%, Dràm Mor, cask #19000022, finished in 1st fill oloroso hogshead, 336 bottles, 2025)

Colour: full gold. Nose: the cask is doing much of the heavy lifting here, it’s all toasted country bread, fougasse, sourdough and the usual twigs, with a dollop of vanilla fudge. With water: whoops, it closes down on yeast and leafy notes only. Boxwood, privet, that sort of thing. Mouth (neat): oh yes, very good even if it’s a bit rough and, truth be told, ultra-peppery. Possibly a touch too much in that regard. With water: small green pears and serviceberries. Still pretty austere, to be honest. Finish: long, very herbal, very honest but no walk in the park. Small green pears. Comments: small green pears are truly delightful, but perhaps they’re not quite enough to deliver a full and satisfying experience, after all.
SGP:361 - 79 points.

Right, we’ll stop now, but blimey, that 30-year-old Singapore, what a thing!

Check the index of all Tullibardine we've tasted