Hazelburn Hand Filled for Usquabae, Edinburgh

Lately I've been noticing hand-filled bottlings from Hazelburn and Longrow at auctions. They've caught my eye, and I'd been wanting to try them but never had the opportunity. I was at Usquabae in Edinburgh, sampling every dram I could. One of those was this Hazelburn Hand Filled at 57.8%, specifically bottled on December 29, 2022, for this Scottish bar. On the nose, it presented a very clean, easily discernible new spirit aroma. It had notes of spongy cake, vanilla, and biscuit, and after a few sips, I detected a cigarette scent. On the palate, it was quite wine-like, possessing the typical Hazelburn character you anticipate. It had notes of blackberries and wine. It feels young, with a rough but astringent quality. Vanilla, paper, and spices were also present. The aftertaste is dry, winey, and pleasantly spicy. It brings to mind a white sherry wine used to cleanse the palate between tapas in Spain. Overall, this wasn't the most exceptional dram, but it wasn't poor either. It could certainly benefit from a little more aging before bottling, as it's a bit rough around the edges. My rating for this one is 87 out of 100.