Miltonduff 16yo 2007/2024

Miltonduff 16yo 2007/2024

James Eadie
Single malt - Speyside
Pink
54.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raspberry jam, wheat germ, malted grains, black pepper, honey, cloves, hints of violets. With water, honey, malted grains, hints of violets. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, slippery, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Wheatgerm, raspberry jam, cherries, honey, hints of cinnamon. With water, black pepper, malted grains, raspberry jam. 
Finish: Medium. Black pepper, wheatgerm, malted grains, hoppy beer, honey. 

Comments: 

Cask 369584. Sweet and fruity, but laden with plenty of cream and malt. Water brings out a peppery spiciness. I think this is a PX cask, a decent marriage of whisky and wine.

Verdict:

I like this.

Miltonduff 13yo 2009/2023

Miltonduff 13yo 2009/2023

Hidden Spirits Whiskey Co
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber gold
52.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, vanilla, green tea, fresh cut grass, pear drops, hints of grapefruit. With water, malted grains, pear drops, artificial grape flavour, green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, airy, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Artificial grape flavour, grapefruit, green tea, raisins, pineapples, malted grains, vanilla. With water, pineapples, artificial grape flavour, green tea, nutmeg. 
Finish: Medium. Pineapples, artificial grape flavour, honey, orange peel. 

Comments: 

Cask MD0923. Lots of malty goodness, some water brings out artificial grape flavour, making the whisky taste a lot like Fanta grape. Even more water makes it tannic and floral, with lots of green tea. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Miltonduff 31yo 1990/2021

Miltonduff 31yo 1990/2021

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Dark amber, hints of green
54.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Milk chocolate, shortbread, cinder toffee, butterscotch, raisins, hints of smoke, hints of fried onions. With water, shortbread, butterscotch, milk chocolate, hints of fried onions. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, oily. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Shortbread, raisins, marmalade, milk chocolate, cinder toffee, butterscotch, clarified butter. With water, cinder toffee, black tea, marmalade. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, cinder toffee, marmalade, shortbread, hints of fried onions. 

Comments: 

Some rancio in this one, here it tastes like fried onions. But set beside that there’s butterscotch, marmalade and shortbread, lots of sweet and slightly bitter sweet stuff. Very enjoyable indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Miltonduff 23yo 1995/2019

Miltonduff 23yo 1995/2019

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail 
Single malt - Speyside 
Straw
56.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, watermelons, fresh cut grass, lemon sweets, white grapes, hints of matches. With water, pear drops, white grapes, pencil erasers, leather, hints of watermelons. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, turns watery around the edges, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Malted grains, matches, white grapes, fresh cut grass, lemon zest, lemon sweets, hints of pencil erasers. With water, sandalwood, fresh cut grass, pencil erasers, lemon zest, leather. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon sweets, lemon zest, fresh cut grass, green tea, hints of pencil erasers. 

Comments: 

I find this whisky to be a good illustration of ‘good’ sulphur. It’s not to strong, ranging from erasers to match heads, providing a sharp counterpoint to lemon sweets and floral grassiness.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Miltonduff 36yo 1978/2015

Miltonduff 36yo 1978/2015

Single Cask, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside 
Straw
44.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green tea, winter melon, vanilla, elderflower, hints of jasmine tea, hints of poppy seeds. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, airy, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Elderflower, orange blossom, medlar jelly, poppy seeds, jasmine tea, Turkish delight, manuka honey. 
Finish: Long. Manuka honey, medlar jelly, orange blossom, Turkish delight. 

Comments: 

Cask 1753. Very sweet, all sorts of good things found in dessert, and breakfast too. There’s the intense overripe, slightly floral sweetness of medlar preserves, married to Turkish delight bonbons. Utterly lovely. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Miltonduff 12yo 2006/2018

Miltonduff 12yo 2006/2018

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside
Pale straw
54.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, lemon zest, candle wax, vanilla, brass polish, hints of soy sauce. With water, lemon juice, more vanilla, hints of raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, sticky, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Candle wax, vanilla, lemon zest, honey, hints of orange blossom. With water, vanilla, sourdough bread, rolled oats. 
Finish: Short. Orange blossom, vanilla, lemon zest, hints of white grapes. 

Comments: 

Sweet and waxy on the nose and tongue, plenty of citrusy floral notes. A light and delicate Speyside. With water, it somehow (rather oddly) becomes more robust, cereally, more citrusy, and sweet. Very delicate, lovely, light whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Miltonduff 10 yo

Miltonduff 10 yo

Distillery Labels, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Pine gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, malted grains, brown sugar, vanilla, custard, hints of cola nut.
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, watery around the edges, slightly fizzy.
Tasting: Sweet. Vanilla, custard, cola nut, orange peel, lemon zest, hints of malted grains, hints of peaches.
Finish: Medium. Vanilla, custard, freshly baked bread, peaches.

Comments:

Light and drinkable, this is very pleasant indeed. Lots of dried fruit notes, smothered by a layer of vanilla custard. It's also slightly beery and bready, especially in the finish. I suppose it's a bit of a semi-official bottling, as most Miltonduff disappears into Chivas.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 72.19 (Miltonduff 20 yo 1988/2008)

SMWS 72.19 (Miltonduff 20 yo 1988/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
57.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, lemons, butter, brown paper, vanilla, egg yolk, hints of smoke.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, warm, tingly.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Raisins, lemons, butter, egg yolk, vanilla, tarry rope, hints of smoke, hints of peat.
Finish: Medium. Soot, smoke, tar, walnut skins.

Comments:

The nose betrays little sign of what is to come - a milky, sweet, smoky, peaty rush of flavours that overwhelms the palate. Very big surprise on the tongue. I wasn't prepared for this, but it was delicious.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 72.21 (Miltonduff 11 yo 1997/2009)

SMWS 72.21 (Miltonduff 11 yo 1997/2009)

2009, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Very pale gold
56% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemons, lemon cake, rhubarb and custard sweets, caramel, brass polish, hints of carrot juice.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, slightly astringent, turns watery.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Lemons, vanilla, lemon cake, hazelnuts, rhubarb crumble, brass polish, walnut skins. With water, more hazelnuts, macadamias, peanuts.
Finish: Long. Lemons, walnut skins, coffee grounds, caramel.

Comments:

Swings from extremes of lemons to bitter coffee. Silky steel - the whisky doesn't try to hide its strength, not for a moment. It's like being smacked in the mouth and nose. Water improves this, but not all that much.

Verdict:

Not bad.

SMWS 72.18 (Miltonduff 18 yo 1988/2006)

SMWS 72.18 (Miltonduff 18 yo 1988/2006)

2006, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Yellow gold
56.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, orange juice, prunes, lemons, hints of beeswax, hints of apple peel.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, slightly watery around the edges.
Tasting: Sweet. Lemons, prunes, tobacco, beeswax, apples, hints of roast pork, hints of roses.
Finish: Medium. Brown paper, tobacco, vanilla, honey, prunes.

Comments:

Quite an uncomplicated nose - love the prunes! The detail is in the finish, with lots of brandy-like brown paper, tobacco and more prunes...

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 72.17 (Miltonduff 23 yo 1981/2005)

SMWS 72.17 (Miltonduff 23 yo 1981/2005)

2005, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Lemon gold
54.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemonade, peanuts, cream soda, vanilla, honey, limes, hints of orange juice.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, slightly astringent.
Tasting: Sour. Vanilla, lemons, peaches, cream soda, honey, hints of orange juice, hints of plums.
Finish: Medium. Vanilla, plum cake, honey.

Comments:

Refreshing and fruity, just the right amount of tartness. I could drink this all day, it's like a lemonade and whisky, cask strength, straight out of the bottle!

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 72.20 (Miltonduff 20 yo 1988/2008)

SMWS 72.20 (Miltonduff 20 yo 1988/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Gold, tinge of pink
56.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange oil, vanilla, cedar wood, lemon zest, hints of garlic, hints of smoked meat.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, thickens in the mouth.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Butter, vanilla, orange peel, cedar, wood ash, lemon zest, Moroccan preserved lemons.
Finish: Medium. Garlic, butter, vanilla, caramel.

Comments:

Fruity, citrusy and sweet, nice smoky notes in the background. Quite tasty, except for the hints of garlic, which spoil it somewhat. Some you win, some you lose.

Verdict:

Not bad.