Gifts are a funny thing, especially from family. I was impressed when a family member (who is not one for selecting whiskies) presented this bottle of Tullibardine 500 Sherry Finish to me. I tend to be a gift minimalist, in that there's not much I need and more often than not, I hold onto well-intended gifts for too long out of guilt. Tullibardine claims a long history in Scotland as a drink purveyor since 1488. In the case of Tullibardine 500, this whisky spends time in both ex bourbon barrels and Spanish sherry cask butts. Nose is festive: clove, honey, apple and orange rind feels like a hot toddy by itself. Sip brings a rush of heat and visions of spiced sugar plums and oak with a relatively short finish. While this whisky may not inspire me to start dancing the Nutcracker, this whisky carries a sweetness and soul of the sherry cask that housed it that does make me smile. Tullibardine 500 is perfect for lovers of deep spice and sherry. What the spice rush detracts (for me) is made up for with its elegant, embossed, heavy-bottomed glass bottle. 7.5/10