“It’s Alright But It’s Okay”
Whisky Review # 1095
Country: Scotland 🏴
Region: Highlands
Brand: Tullibardine
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 20 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation:1st Fill Ex-Bourbon casks
Chill Filtration: Yes
Maturation:1st Fill Ex-Bourbon casks
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 150-300 (June 2026)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Way too expensive for what it offers
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Way too expensive for what it offers
Buying Advice: 👎 At this price level better go for Glengoyne or GlenDronach
Colour:
Dark Gold with shades of Orange and Brown (Probably not Artificially Coloured)
Nose:
On the Shy side. It takes some time to open up a bit. It's quite unpretentious and even a bit simple. It's not bad but I would expect more from a 20 Year old Single Malt. It's Sweet but not overly so. Some Sour, Salty and Dusty notes as well. The Alcohol is noticeable but does not interfere with the Nosing procedures. The Oak is there of course but I would not give it 20 Years in a blind tasting. It's still quite Fresh with some Fruit coming through. All in all okay but nothing special.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Salty Caramel, Buttered Toast, Straw, Puff Pastry filled with warm Apricot Jam, Cooked Baby Fruit Puree (Apple, Banana, Pear), Coconut, Wet Paper, Dusty Charred Oak, Pepper, Ginger, Aniseed and Mint.
Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Salty Caramel, Buttered Toast, Straw, Puff Pastry filled with warm Apricot Jam, Cooked Baby Fruit Puree (Apple, Banana, Pear), Coconut, Wet Paper, Dusty Charred Oak, Pepper, Ginger, Aniseed and Mint.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Toffee, Wax, Honey, Syrup, Walnuts, Citrus Fruit (Orange, Grapefruit and Lemon), Nougat, Bounty Bar, Wood Polish, Tobacco and Licorice.
Toffee, Wax, Honey, Syrup, Walnuts, Citrus Fruit (Orange, Grapefruit and Lemon), Nougat, Bounty Bar, Wood Polish, Tobacco and Licorice.
Palate:
The best part of this Tullibardine although it's still on the simple side. The arrival is on the Thin side on account of the modest ABV. A 20 Year old Single Malt deserves more! Despite this low ABV the Alcohol still feels a little Sharp. Bitter-Sweet and on the Dry side. Some Sour and Salty notes can be found as well. Not bad but very straightforward.
Main Flavours:
The best part of this Tullibardine although it's still on the simple side. The arrival is on the Thin side on account of the modest ABV. A 20 Year old Single Malt deserves more! Despite this low ABV the Alcohol still feels a little Sharp. Bitter-Sweet and on the Dry side. Some Sour and Salty notes can be found as well. Not bad but very straightforward.
Main Flavours:
Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Wax, Bounty Bars, slightly Sour Orange & Grapefruit, Apricot Jam, Dusty Charred Oak, Pepper, Ginger, Aniseed and Mint.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Honey, Toffee, Grass and Straw, Walnuts and Almonds, Dried Herbs, Dried Apple & Banana, Cigar Ashes, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cardamom and Licorice.
Finish:
Quite Long and Bitter-Sweet. Some Sour and Salty notes as well. The Bitterness increases towards the Dry end. Wood and Wood Spice remain with you for quite a while. There's a slight Alcohol kick as well. I find Toasted Malt, Vanilla, Demerara Sugar, Salted Caramel, Honey, Buttered Toast, slightly Sour Grapefruit and Orange Juice, Mandarin, Banana Bread, Bounty Bars, Walnuts and Almonds, Dried Apple and Apricot, Dusty Charred Oak, Wet Rocks, Pepper, Ginger, Cardamom, Aniseed and Licorice.
Drinking Advice:
A little added Water takes out a little bit of the Alcohol heat. The general profile does not really change though. A few drops are sufficient.
Drinking Experience Neat:
A little added Water takes out a little bit of the Alcohol heat. The general profile does not really change though. A few drops are sufficient.
Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)
Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 8 - Finish: 7
*** Important Note with respect to Rating.
If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.
Good although I expected a lot more!
Conclusion:
The Tullibardine Distillery was founded in the year 1949 by the architect William Delmé Evans & is located in Blackford (Perthshire) on the site of a former Brewery. In 1994, Tullibardine was mothballed by Whyte & Mackay, the owners at that time. Production was resumed in the year 2003 when the distillery was sold to the Tullibardine Distillery Ltd. consortium In 2011, the French Maison Michel Picard from Chassagne Montrachet became the new owner. The 20 Years I'm reviewing today was launched in 2013 but the current core range consists of the Sovereign, 225 Sauternes Finish, 228 Burgundy Finish, 500 Sherry Finish, the 15 & the 18 Y. In 2025 the distillery produced around 3 million litres of Spirit.
The Tullibardine Distillery was founded in the year 1949 by the architect William Delmé Evans & is located in Blackford (Perthshire) on the site of a former Brewery. In 1994, Tullibardine was mothballed by Whyte & Mackay, the owners at that time. Production was resumed in the year 2003 when the distillery was sold to the Tullibardine Distillery Ltd. consortium In 2011, the French Maison Michel Picard from Chassagne Montrachet became the new owner. The 20 Years I'm reviewing today was launched in 2013 but the current core range consists of the Sovereign, 225 Sauternes Finish, 228 Burgundy Finish, 500 Sherry Finish, the 15 & the 18 Y. In 2025 the distillery produced around 3 million litres of Spirit.
I bought this bottle during our visit to the distillery in 2017 so it took me a while to open it! Unfortunately the cork broke when I tried to open the bottle but I still managed to remove it without ending up with cork in the whisky. Was the waiting worth the while? It was not I'm afraid. The Tullibardine 20 Years is not a bad Malt but it misses the Wow factor. It's totally unpretentious and I can see why it's not a part of the core range anymore. I will try to get a sample of the new 18 years to see if anything changed over the last ten years or so. Forget about this 20 Years though. It's too simple and way too expensive for what it offers!
Cheers! 🥃
Jan van den Ende June 18, 2026
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