Description

Burnside 1996 Aged 28 Years Blended Malt Scotch Whisky – Cadenhead Original Collection (700ml)

Volume: 700ml           ABV: 46%           Age: 28 Years Old            Country: Scotland

Distilled: 1996
Date of Bottling: 2025
Matured In: Ex-Bourbon Casks
Un-Chillfiltered, No added colour

The Whisky

Step into the world of “teaspooned” malts with the Cadenhead’s Burnside 28 Year Old from the Original Collection. Distilled in 1996 and bottled in 2025, this 700ml blended malt represents a rare opportunity to taste a heavily aged Speyside spirit. In the world of whisky, “Burnside” is a trade name for The Balvenie single malt that has been “teaspooned” with a tiny amount of Glenfiddich, ensuring it remains a blended malt rather than a single malt.

Matured exclusively in ex-Bourbon casks for nearly three decades, this expression is bottled at 46% ABV. Inside information reveals that this 2025 release is a standout for its “tropical and chocolate” profile. It is non-chill filtered and naturally coloured, preserving the oily texture and deep complexity that only twenty eight years of slow maturation in high quality American oak can provide.

Our Tasting Notes

Nose: An elegant and mature bouquet. You are greeted by the classic scent of old leather books and honeysuckle, followed by creamy milk chocolate. As it opens, a distinct floral note of gorse bush emerges, adding a beautifully nuanced, herbaceous depth.

Palate: The mouthfeel is silky and perfectly balanced. It features a vibrant array of fruits, including gooseberries, rhubarb, and ripe papaya. This tropical sweetness is complemented by the warm, woody spice of cassia bark and a playful hint of peardrops, showcasing the incredible depth of its 28 year aging.

Finish: Long, warming, and sophisticated. The finish lingers with the zesty brightness of orange zest and golden syrup, finally tapering off with a savoury sweet touch of liquorice root.

The Distillery

While technically a blend, Burnside is almost entirely composed of spirit from The Balvenie Distillery in Dufftown. Founded in 1892, Balvenie is one of the last distilleries in Scotland to still grow its own barley and maintain traditional floor maltings. A unique factual detail: The name “Burnside” was originally used by William Grant & Sons for the farm where the Balvenie distillery was built. By bottling it under this name, Cadenhead’s honours the heritage of the liquid while offering a “secret” single malt experience that would otherwise be tucked away into luxury blends.

Overall Review

The Cadenhead’s Burnside 28 Year Old is globally reviewed as a “gloriously mature Speysider,” praised for its incredible value and tropical fruit profile. Critics have awarded it high ratings (87/100), noting that it offers the sophistication of a 30 year old Balvenie at a fraction of the official price.