I was never a step child. Yeah, I know, look at me bragging about my parents being able to find happiness and have a balanced, healthy relationship that was a positive impact on their lives.

So when I call Hazelburn the red-headed step child of the Springbank family, I mean only as much as it’s a joke. In reality I hope that all of the step-children, regardless of hair colour or views of worth as human being based on racial background affects them, are being treated well. It can’t be easy.

But Hazelburn doesn’t get the fanfare of Springbank’s amazing lineage, or Longrow with their big peat and wine casks. It’s triple distilled, no peat, and does things differently.

So I was very excited to see a bottle ofHazelburn 13 2004come onto the market. An ex-Oloroso aged whisky from them. How would it taste? How have they balanced…