Tullibardine 1993 (Sansibar vs. Maltbarn)

The Clans label was a new series from Sansibar, first released in 2017. The first batch also contained a Tullibardine 1993. We’ll compare it to a very similar whisky, just released by Maltbarn.

 

 

Tullibardine 24 yo 1993 (52,5%, Sansibar ‘Clans label’ 2017, 272 btl.)

Nose: soaked wholemeal bread crusts up front. Very malty, with hints of All-Bran wheat flakes and hay. Light whiffs of beurre noisette. A slight dustiness of old books and golden apples as well.

Mouth: sweeter than expected, but with a similar dustiness and maltiness. Bread again, hints of rye. Leafy notes, sage. After a while also hints of oranges.

Finish: medium long, still a bit neutral (spirit-driven). Nutmeg and bread crust.

Honest and quite neutral, which means it is still very recognizable as a mixture of malt, yeast and water. Whisky after all, but not my favourite style. Around € 140, still available.

Score: 82/100

 

 

 

Tullibardine 24 yo 1993 (48,7%, Maltbarn 2017, bourbon cask, 132 btl.)

Nose: quite similar, although the bread is lighter and there is some cake as well. Hints of bananas. The cask may have been more active in this case. Sawdust and yeasty notes. Apples. Some nutty notes, a little pepper.

Mouth: sweet and malty, yes. Flours, rye spice. Vanilla, caraway seeds as well as a gingery sweetness. Cereals.

Finish: medium, drier, spiced bread?

Perhaps a bit more diverse (that may be the lower alcohol as well), but still a fairly neutral whisky, which doesn’t really make me wild. Both are feeling rather young, even after almost 25 years in a cask. Around € 150, arriving in stores as we speak.

Score: 83/100