Burnside 14 year old Woodrows of Edinburgh Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 52%

Sometimes the label says less than it could. Burnside is one of those names used when a distillery does not want its real name on the bottle — but the character in the glass is unmistakable.

Please note: Burnside is the designation for so-called teaspooned Balvenie. It means a cask from the Balvenie distillery has had a minimal amount of spirit from another distillery added, typically Glenfiddich. This is done to prevent the whisky being marketed as an official Balvenie single malt, but it still clearly carries Balvenie's character.

Expert description

Burnside 14 Years Woodrow's of Edinburgh is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky from Single Cask #900019, bottled at cask strength, 52%, without chill filtration and without added colour.

The whisky was distilled on 27 April 2011, and the cask gave 330 bottles. Woodrow's of Edinburgh is an independent bottler based in Leith that buys and matures casks in its own bonded warehouse and bottles in small batches or as single casks.

The house philosophy is about bringing out the personality of the individual cask rather than smoothing it away. Natural colour, no filtration and cask strength are standard, and that makes the bottlings considerably more direct than most official releases.

Tasting notes

Nose

Honey and malted grain with baked apple, vanilla and a trace of flower honey.

Palate

Full and sweet with honey cake, dried fruit and pale oak. The strength brings warmth without shouting.

Finish

Long and dry with grain, spice and a lightly bitter oak note.

Specifications

Name: Burnside 14 Years Woodrows of Edinburgh Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 52%
Distillery: Burnside
Bottler: Woodrow's of Edinburgh
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 14 years
ABV: 52%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Single Cask #900019
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 27/04/2011
Number of bottles: 330

Flavour profile

Honeyed · Malty · Fruity · Spiced · Powerful

Investment potential

Medium. A single cask of 330 bottles from a smaller bottler, and teaspooned names like Burnside have a steady following among collectors of Speyside malt.

Did you know?

The practice of teaspooning arose because distilleries wanted to sell casks without losing control of their own trademark. A single spoonful from another distillery legally turns the whisky into a blended malt.

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Frequently asked questions about Burnside 14 Years Woodrows of Edinburgh Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 52%

What does teaspooned mean?

That a very small amount of whisky from another distillery has been added. It changes almost nothing in the glass, but legally it means the whisky can no longer be sold as a single malt from the originating distillery.

Can you taste the difference between a teaspooned and an ordinary single malt?

Rarely. The amount added is so small that the character of the original distillery is essentially unchanged. The difference is primarily legal and commercial.

Is it worth the money?

Single cask, cask strength, no filtration and only 330 bottles. On top of that, whisky from Speyside distilleries with limited official release is hard to obtain any other way.

Who is Woodrow's of Edinburgh?

An independent bottler from Leith that buys and matures casks in its own warehouse and releases them as single casks or small batches. See more independent bottlers under Independent Whisky Bottlers.

Should I add water?

Try it neat first. At 52% it is ready to drink, but a couple of drops open the honey notes and lengthen the finish.

Why is the colour pale?

Because no caramel colouring has been added. The hue shows exactly what the cask gave, and a pale colour after fourteen years points to a quiet refill cask.