Scotch Whisky Review #495: Glenburgie 45 Year (1975) Berry Bros & Rudd Exceptional Casks

Distillery: Glenburgie.

Bottler: Berry Bros & Rudd.

Region: Speyside.

Age: Distilled in 1975, bottled in 2020.

ABV: 44.1%.

Price: Sample courtesy of /u/dangerousdoorknob.

Color: 1.2, Chestnut/Oloroso Sherry.

This is the 24th installment of this years’ Christmas Countdown. You can check out previous editions as well (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022).

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Nose: It is very perfume-esque on the nose, and I mean that in the best way possible. It isn’t some overly floral thing but rather a strong assault of powerful notes that probably would make for an excellent fragrance. I can only describe it like your nose is being punched from all directions at once. Thankfully after about 15 minutes of nosing it, things start to make some sense. Nut oils, perhaps macadamia being a prominent one, are front and center along with sandalwood. There are some fruity notes in the form of overripe, nearly turned to mush papaya. Vanilla beans, cherry blossoms, and orange oil also show up. I’m convinced there’s more but I couldn’t quite pick out more notes.

Palate: The mouthfeel here is incredibly oily and surprisingly a little hot. A bit of citrus in the form of either a fairly tart lemon or calamansi rules the day. Adding a drop of water makes the heat vanish leaving behind something that is incredibly waxy. Notes of papaya and tropical Starburst come through beautifully. A dark sugar note, perhaps black sugar boba, wraps things up.

Finish: Medium-long in length. It is a bit earthy with some wax and a touch of malt. A tinge of chocolate comes along as well.

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Conclusion: A year ago I had the pleasure of trying another old Glenburgie to wrap up 2022’s Christmas Countdown. This year’s Glenburgie shares in the wax, the tropical fruits, and bits of earth with that one. The nose on this Berry Bros & Rudd Glenburgie is perhaps one the most complex I’ve had in a long time and I’m still fairly convinced there’s a lot more to be found. The palate with a drop of water turns into a wax lovers dream though if I’m being overly critical a touch lacking in depth of flavor. The finish delivers a nice end to it all and makes me wishing I had a lot more of this. Delicious stuff and one certainly fit for the season.

Rating: 90.

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Scotch Whisky Review #495, Speyside Review #175, Whisky Network Review #660

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.