No shortage of Burnside these days, the blended malt built around Balvenie. We’re trying recent bottlings from Fruitful Spirits, Dram-Addicts and Whiskybase.
enviaBle 36 yo 1989 (48,7%, Fruitful Spirits 2026, bourbon + Oloroso + PX cask, 96 btl.)
Nose: richer than most other Burnsides. That means more brown sugar, vanilla and leather, along with dried apricots, quinces and plenty of raisins. Then honeyed notes, a slight hint of Moscatel sweetness, fruitcake and cinnamon pastry. Some walnuts and oaky notes in the background.
Mouth: slightly darker and sweeter again. Raisins, jammy plums, as well as some tart fruits like apples and (blood) oranges. Quince paste and (herbal) honey again. Then some peppery hints, along with darker chocolate and toffee notes, drops of coffee and a reasonable dose of spicy oak. There’s a subtle winey edge from the sherry casks.
Finish: long and drying, with toasted oak, roasted nuts and leather.
A variation on the classic bright and bourbonny theme. I’m wondering why they transferred this to so many different casks, just because they could? The winey edge bothers me a little but I really like the overall richness. Sold out, I believe.
Burnside 35 yo 1989 (51,6%, Oxhead Whisky & Lucky Choice ‘Dram-Addicts’ 2025, hogshead #577, 136 btl.)
Nose: more classic, more neutral. Oily and waxy fruits, like yellow apples, quinces and mirabelles. Then orange peels and light vanilla, as well as a subtle chalky note. Perhaps a drop of vegetal oil and some citronella candles too.
Mouth: sappy and fruity, on pineapple and honey, along with bags of lemons and lemon soda, up to the point where it becomes soapy for me. Lavender indeed, mixed with more natural resinous notes, pine needles and hints of rosemary. Then a bit of ginger and cereal notes.
Finish: long, still resinous and floral, with lemons.
I’m always reluctant to call soap, as it’s sometimes a side-effect of tainted samples with plastic caps. This had just arrived so I’m quite sure the floral side is simply part of the profile. I know my personal treshold for these notes is lower than for most Asian whisky lovers – I noticed this before with a Dram-Addicts bottling so it could be an intentional selection. One that doesn’t fit my palate, sorry. Score: 79/100
Burnside 35 yo 1989 (53%, Archives ‘Fishes of Samoa’ 2025, barrel #2500727, 268 btl.)
Nose: lots of pleasure now, with the expected mirabelles, gooseberries and apples again, as well as some honeyed notes. Then it turns towards buttery notes, with hints of vanilla custard and faint hints of almonds. Later a greener side as well, with grassy tea and some freshly torn leaves.
Mouth: sharper, with just grapefruits and lemons at first, widening towards pears. Still a high-pitched citrusy profile with a floral edge of bergamot and orange blossoms, but not soapy this time. Salted nuts, Seville oranges and this waxy / resinous hint. Very zesty towards the end.
Finish: good length, bright and citrusy, with hints of green tea and elderflower tonic. A light bitter edge.
We’ve had casks that were a tad more seductive and smooth, so overall this session wasn’t entirely satisfactory. We’re a fan of the tart and vibrant profile though, so the Archives release takes the trophy. Score: 88/100