Miltonduff 10-Year-Old 2009 vintage Speyside single malt Scotch whisky. Single cask first fill Oloroso sherry hogshead. Bottled 2019 for The Whisky Barrel ORIGINALS series. 254 numbered bottles.
Appearance: Lovely dark brown, like the outside of a barrel quaintly enough. A lovely corrugated film effect emerges instantly on the glass when swirled. Many medium uniform legs circle the glass and a smooth beaded swirl mark.
Nose: The high ABV is immediately noticeable on the nose, and welcomed. Deep and rich in toffee, vanilla, dark fruits, blackberries, wood and spice (cinnamon, nutmeg and clove). The aromas are well balanced and marry well. The ethanol compliments a nice warming undercurrent.
Palate: A nice oily mouthfeel. A spice bomb initially, followed by heavy wood notes, sharp berry and a smoked meat note. There’s a grippy element at the back of the mouth. It also warms the chest nicely (unsurprising, given the ABV).
A drop or two of water brings out more buttery mellow notes, custard even.
Finish: Long. The sharp berries turn more bitter in the finish, and the meaty notes and slight drying also linger.
Those spices that hit first on the palate, are the last to dissipate.
Overall: It’s an interesting one. I’m a fan of higher ABV and CS expressions and this doesn’t disappoint in that respect.
I’m not a huge fan of the bitter notes but everything else is very nice. It also goes very well with dark chocolate!
Sample kindly supplied by @stillsurreal 👍
