Glenburgie : 38 Year Old American Hogshead Cask Strength Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice Upper 1986

Tasting characteristics and tips for the 38 Years Old American Hogshead Cask Strength Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice Upper 1986 from Glenburgie

Tasting

Nose
The nose reveals intense aromas of ripe red apple and vanilla cream, rounded out by a subtle touch of cocoa powder.

Palate
The opening is smooth yet peppery, unveiling flavors of apple and blueberry, followed by bright notes of lime and mature oak. The profile shows fine complexity, with berry compote in the background. The finish is long and persistent, marked by a lingering menthol freshness.

Pairings and tasting moments
This exceptional whisky is best enjoyed neat, with no embellishment, to fully appreciate the aromatic complexity developed over 38 years of aging. A few drops of water may be added to reveal additional nuances.

A 38-year-old single malt whisky

Glenburgie, a historic Speyside distillery

Founded in 1810 under the name Kilnflat, the Glenburgie distillery began legal production in 1829. Located in the Speyside region near Forres, it benefits from pure local spring water that contributes significantly to its signature fruity profile. Following a major renovation in 2004, it became the property of Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard group) in 2005. Glenburgie has stood out for its innovative spirit, notably with the installation of Lomond stills in 1958 to create Glencraig whisky. With an annual production capacity of 4.2 million liters, this distillery is primarily known for its key contribution to prestigious blended whiskies, while occasionally releasing rare single malts with distinctive tropical notes.

A rare whisky from the Glenburgie distillery
The Glenburgie 1986 38 Years Old Connoisseurs Choice comes from the Glenburgie distillery, founded in 1810 in Speyside and associated with the famous Ballantine's blend. Distilled in 1986, this single malt benefited from 38 years of aging in a Refill American Hogshead cask, allowing the spirit to develop remarkable aromatic complexity while preserving the distillery’s signature fruity freshness.

Its inclusion in Gordon & MacPhail’s Connoisseurs Choice range makes it a rare selection, drawn from a collection comprising more than 2,000 bottlings from around 100 Scottish distilleries. Bottled at cask strength at 57.9% ABV and non-chill filtered, this Scotch whisky is presented in a luxurious gift box, underscoring its exceptional status.