Speyburn
- OWNER: INVER HOUSE/INTERNATIONAL BEVERAGE COMPANY
- FOUNDED: 1897
- REGION: SPEYSIDE
Speyburn may not sit at the top of anyone’s desert-island whisky list, but it’s a solid, affordable everyday dram (according to the whisky writer Charles MacLean, it is the best-selling single malt in Finland). And even if you pass by it on the shelf, should you find yourself in Speyside, don’t do the same with the distillery: Designed by the renowned distillery architect Charles Doig, it is one of the prettiest in Scotland, set amid a small glen with a towering kiln chimney and rough-stone walls on most of its buildings. (If you decide to go, call ahead, as it is open by appointment only.)
Speyburn
Bradan Orach
Scots Gaelic for “golden salmon,” Bradan Orach is aged in ex-bourbon barrels.
- PRICE $ · RATING NR
- AGE No age statement
- ALC/VOL 40%
- NOSE Honey, pear, vanilla custard, Pop Rocks, pancake batter, dead flowers; water brings out perfume, acetone, and bananas.
- PALATE Pears, honey, grassy; the finish is short and slightly bitter.
- GENERAL You won’t find many single malts at a cheaper price. But for a little bit more, you can find several better ones.
Aged 10 Years
Aged in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks.
- PRICE $ · RATING
- AGE 10 years old
- ALC/VOL 43%
- NOSE Red apples, dried herbs, light honey, Turkish delight, fresh-cut strawberries; water intensifies the honey and brings out more fruit.
- PALATE Honey, fino sherry, and vanilla pudding, building to an astringent, cinnamon spiciness; the finish is short, spicy, and dry.
- GENERAL There’s a lot going on in the nose, but the palate doesn’t quite deliver. Still, for its price, this is a solid spirit.
Speyburn
Arranta
Aged exclusively in first-fill ex-bourbon casks for an unstated period of time. The name is inspired by the Scots Gaelic word for “intrepid.”
- PRICE $ · RATING
- AGE No age statement
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Cinnamon, pepper, sawn wood, drawn butter, honey, a bit of citrus, candy shell, and kissed mint; water calls forth pear, soap, ginger, and a slight nuttiness.
- PALATE Floral, a bit smoky, with tropical fruit, pear, and spicy strawberries; with water, it gets soapy, woody, and a bit astringent. The finish is spicy, woody, and bitter.
- GENERAL Like the 10 Year Old, the nose is more impressive than the palate, which is both bourbon-like and quite soapy, especially with water.
Aged 15 Years
Aged in American and Spanish oak casks.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE 15 years old
- ALC/VOL 46%
- NOSE Rich with dried fruits, mushrooms, cake batter, overripe apples, orange rind, and butter; water brightens it with citrus and candy.
- PALATE An oily, medium-to-thick mouthfeel, with notes of lemon, orange, coffee, umami, and spicy dark cocoa; water elicits spiced cake and floral notes. The finish is slightly spicy, with pops of fruit and chocolate.
- GENERAL A a unique, affordable fifteen year old, with a lush texture and layers of flavor. Well worth the clams.