Glen Garioch – 2010/2024 13 Year Old St. Julien Wine Cask Murray McDavid (70cl, 52.1%)

A 13-year-old Highland single malt from Glen Garioch, distilled in 2010 and bottled by Murray McDavid in autumn 2024 for its Benchmark series. It comes from four vatted casks and was bottled at 52.1% in a limited run of 1,213 bottles, non-chill-filtered and without added colour. After its main maturation in bourbon hogsheads, the whisky spent three years in first fill Saint-Julien wine barriques that had held Bordeaux red wine. The finish added to its fruity character, and the tannins of the French oak softened as it rested. The nose offers strawberry, vanilla cream and marzipan. On the palate come spiced apple and redcurrants with sweet oak, and the finish brings fresh malt, mild spice and a hint of cocoa.