Glenburgie 2008/2024 Signatory Vintage 15 years old Exceptional Cask 100 Proof Edition #2 Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 57.1%

Exceptional Cask is Signatory's way of saying a cask stands out. Here it is 1st fill oloroso sherry butts that have been allowed to work on a Glenburgie for fifteen years. That is far more sherry than the distillery is normally subjected to.

The expert's description

Glenburgie 2008/2024 Signatory Vintage 15 Year Old Exceptional Cask 100 Proof Edition #2 is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill oloroso sherry butts and bottled at 57.1%.

The spirit went into cask in 2008 and was bottled on 25 March 2024. 1st fill sherry butts are the heaviest tools in the box — a butt holds around 500 litres, and when it is filled with oloroso for the first time it gives everything it has. On a bright, fruity spirit like Glenburgie’s that is a direct confrontation. The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured.

The 57.1% is no accident. Signatory's 100 Proof range holds every bottling at exactly 100 degrees British proof, and the Exceptional Cask mark is used when the casks sit above the normal level of the range in Signatory's own judgement. Edition #2 is the second release under that mark.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried fruit and dark syrup, with fig, raisin and walnut. Behind it sits a layer of leather and a dry, almost dusty spice note.

Palate

Powerful and dry sherry. Dark chocolate, dried figs and nuts, with a firm bitterness from the cask. The Glenburgie fruit sits underneath and fights its way forward towards the end.

Finish

Very long. Cocoa, tobacco and dried fruit giving way slowly to a dry, nutty close.

Specifications

Name: Glenburgie 2008/2024 Signatory Vintage 15 Year Old Exceptional Cask 100 Proof Edition #2 Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 57.1%
Distillery: Glenburgie
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 57.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill oloroso sherry butts
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2008
Bottled: 25 March 2024
Edition: Exceptional Cask - 100 Proof Edition #2
EAN no.: 5021944125586

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dark fruit · Nutty · Spiced · Cask Strength

Investment potential

Medium. The Exceptional Cask mark is only used on casks Signatory itself judges to sit above the normal level of the range, and 1st fill oloroso butts on a fifteen year old Glenburgie is an unusual combination. The range has a fixed format and is collected as a series by people who follow Signatory.

Did you know?

Glenburgie has been one of the backbones of Ballantine's for decades. The distillery supplies large volumes of malt to the blend, and precisely for that reason only a fraction of production is bottled as single malt — most bottles with Glenburgie on the label come from independent bottlers.

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Frequently asked questions about Glenburgie 2008/2024 Signatory Exceptional Cask 100 Proof Edition #2

What does Exceptional Cask mean?

That Signatory has judged the cask to be better than what normally goes into the 100 Proof range. It is the firm’s own designation rather than an official classification, but it is used sparingly, and the releases under the mark are numbered.

What is a sherry butt?

The largest of the common sherry casks, around 500 litres. The bigger the cask, the less wood there is per litre of whisky, so a butt works more slowly than a hogshead — but if it is 1st fill it still gives strongly.

Why 57.1%?

It equals 100 degrees on the old British proof scale. Signatory holds the whole range at that one figure, so only the distillery and the cask change from bottle to bottle. The scale was abolished in 1980, but the number lives on on labels.

Is the sherry too heavy for Glenburgie?

That is the real discussion around this bottle. Glenburgie has a bright, fruity spirit, and 1st fill oloroso butts are heavy casks. The result is markedly sherried, and anyone looking for the clean Glenburgie style should go for a bourbon-matured release instead. See the other Scottish styles in our Scotch Whisky selection.

Should I add water?

Yes, give it a try. At 57.1% and with this much sherry there is plenty to work with, and water loosens both the fruit and the nutty bitterness. Add a little at a time and stop when the fig becomes clearest.

Is it peated?

No. Glenburgie uses unpeated malt. The dry, almost ashy note in the finish comes from the sherry cask and not from peat — a mix-up that happens often with heavily sherried whisky.

Does it work with food?

Yes, it holds up well alongside dark chocolate, dried figs or a strong blue cheese. The dry sherry fruit meets the sweetness, and the cask strength has enough body not to be drowned out by the cheese.