Scotch

Whisky Review: Speyburn 18 Year Old

The Speyburn 18 Year Old was added to the distillery's core range in 2018, in celebration of distillery manager, Bobby Anderson's, 18-year anniversary at the distillery.

OVERALL RATING

8
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Tasting Notes

About:

The Speyburn 18 Year Old is matured in a combination of American Oak and Spanish Oak cask, before bottling at 46% ABV. When launched in 2018, the bottling was dedicated to Speyburn’s distillery manager Bobby Anderson who was celebrating his 18th year at the Speyburn Distillery.
Appearance:
Dark Gold
Nose:
On the nose, sweet toffee and plenty of red fruit notes, red apples, strawberries and raspberries. There’s a little of syrupy sweetness, reminiscent of Newbury fruit sweets, balanced against some malt, oaky wood and a little hint of clove spice.
Palate:
Mouth coating by dry, plenty of wood tannins and tobacco, alongside a hint of citrus – possibly orange or lemon rind. Followed by some honey and chocolate sweetness, but this remains balanced by pepper and oak.
Finish:
Medium length, initially slightly nutty and bittersweet with a touch of cinnamon. Gives way to final hints of chocolate, plum jam, and a little smoke before a final drying note.
Comments:

A well-balanced malt, from what I consider an underrated distillery that’s a little hidden compared with some of it’s more famous neighbours. There’s some sherry influence, but Speyburn 18 isn’t a sherry bomb.
I received a generous sample of this one to review, and actually shared it with my Dad for Father’s Day – for once our scores matched, 8 all round.


Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Mark Bostock

Mark Bostock, an integral part of the Mark Littler LTD UK content writing team since 2019, brings a genuine passion for whisky, especially independent bottlings, to his work. His commitment to expanding his knowledge through attending tasting events and building his own collection enriches his contributions, blending expertise with enthusiasm.

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