Category Archives: Speyside

Dream Dram – Adelphi’s Miltonduff 40 year old 50.4%

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We were on the quest for a “Dream Dram” at London’s Whisky Show 2023… which meant we simply had to prioritize getting to the folks from Adelphi. 

Folks who know me well, know that I have a soft spot for several independent bottlers. I appreciate the hard work that goes into creating a whisky, yet equally appreciate those who aspire to pre-select unique, sometimes quite rare special bottles. Before they opened their Ardnamurchan distillery, these folks were known for bringing out some exceptionally rare remarkable drams.

This is why I knew I was in good hands with my top choice for Dream Dram – the Miltonduff 40 year old!  Our guide shared how it was matured in refill Bourbon hogshead, enabling the flavours to slowly ease into the liquid gold.

Miltonduff 40 year (1982) 50.4% (Adelphi) GBP 700

Incredibly elegant with a beautiful, delicate nose, lightly floral with orchard fruits. And on the palate? It was effervescent, almost sparkling like a bubbly champagne! Bright, oaky spice, with more apples & pears, creamy and even a hint grassy….. The finish was equally elegant, though from our simple light sips, not so long.

We didn’t even notice the relatively high cask strength for a 40 year old! Only later did I observe this must have meant very little escaping into the angel’s share. Perhaps that contributed to the sparkling quality we found!

I had planned to return to explore whiskies from their distillery – Ardnamurchan – however, alas we didn’t manage to make it back! One simply can’t do everything at a show!

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Speyside Sherry Bombs! Glenfarclas, Aberlour x 2, Glendronach

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Our Nurnberg International Whisky group is on a roll! After kicking off with the delightful Gordon & MacPhail’s Discovery series, and then exploring the impact of cask finishes with Glenmorangie and Cragganmore, we decided to go big and bold with a focus on sherry bombs!

We didn’t have a calibration dram, so the remainder of the Gordon & Macphail’s Aultmore 10 year 43% made the rounds of the table… I may need to pick up something simple and affordable to keep on hand for future sessions!

And then we got down to sherry business! We decided to start with a special Germany-exclusive Glenfarclas 12 year before moving on to the Aberlour 16 year, then taking a small peat and sweet detour with the cask strength Benromach, before closing with another cask strength whisky – the Aberlour A’Bunadh. It was a good choice to anchor with a pair of Aberlour’s and contrast with two additional distilleries.

Curious to read what we discovered? Read on here….

And what is next for our Nurnberg tasting group? In October, we plan to focus closer to home with a few drams from Germany – I can’t wait! Then in November, we’re tentatively thinking of checking out a few Indian whiskies, nicely timed around Diwali. Fun fun fun to come!

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Speyside Sherry Bombs! Benromach 2010 58.5%

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Our Nurnberg International Whisky spent an evening devoted to Sherry whiskies – including this Benromach Peated expression! Over the years, I’ve quite enjoyed a few Benromach expressions – with the Gordon & MacPhail team’s commitment to quality with their distillery, consistent with their independent bottles.

Benromach (2010) Cask Strength, 1st Fill Sherry Batch 1, 58.5% 

  • Nose – Campfire, burnt wood, stone cottage next to the sea, heavy wet clothing, star anise then you could catch hints of sherry notes
  • Palate – Has a punch to start – a bit brash and sharp, then shifts into dark chocolate, smooth, sweet, spicy, and a bit savory too
  • Finish – Cinnamon spice
  • Water – Yes! Brings out the dark berries and chocolate even more, much nicer and in better harmony
  • Revisit – We returned after some time to find loads of meat, smoked ham, and crispy bacon, quite umami… where were you hiding earlier??

We found the peat sweet stronger on the nose than the palate. Our bottle contributor confessed that when it was 1st opened, the peat was a bit overwhelming and unbalanced – described as “chaotic.” Interestingly, what we found long after setting the dram aside was more in keeping with the freshly opened bottle – with the meaty elements.

Which just goes to show how important it is when tasting more complex or challenging whiskies to give it time to open in the glass and perhaps also revisit it in different settings.

Curious about more Benromach experiences?

Our evening exploring sherry whiskies also explored:

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Speyside Sherry Bombs! Aberlour 16 year + A’bunadh Batch 77

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In our newly formed Nurnberg International Whisky tasting group, one member is a total Aberlour fan! So much so that he enthusiastically and very generously offered to “anchor” an evening dedicated to Sherry with two Aberlour expressions!

  • Aberlour 16 year (AB16 2-22) 40%
  • Aberlour A’Bunadh Batch 77 (22 March 2023) 60.8%

For those not familiar, Aberlour is known for its consistent use of ex-Olorosso sherry casks.

The last time I had a 16-year-old Aberlour, it was a very special evening featuring whiskies hand-filled at the distillery by our host, who was a brilliant whisky brand ambassador in India for some select Scottish distilleries. So it was a treat to finally try the standard 16-year, which is a blend of American oak casks and Sherry oak casks.

Aberlour 16 year Double Cask Matured (AB16 2-22) 40% 

  • Colour – Deep dark amber, almost ruby!
  • Nose – Gentle at first, very juicy with generous dark ripe fruits – think warm dates
  • Palate – A sparkle of sweet spices! Some cinnamon, cloves and a hint of ginger.. this was soon joined by rich chocolate with a hint of salted caramel, delicious!
  • Finish – Slight bitter cacao

It was simply delicious! Rich yet not overwhelming, utterly enjoyable just “as is!”. This led us to remark how astounding it is to have such robust flavours at a “mere” 40%. For those who are accustomed to cask strength or at the lower end a “connoisseur” strength of 46%, whiskies at 40% can come across as a bit insipid. Not this one! Even though the label did not specify 1st Fill, it was clear this must be the case – at least for the Sherry part of the ex-Bourbon / ex-Sherry cask combination.

Depending on where you buy and which batch, you can still find an Aberlour 16-year in Germany for between Eur 61 – 78.

As for the next? For years, Aberlour’s A’Bunadh was a favoured cask-strength sherry bomb, readily available at Changi International Airport in Singapore. It was also quite affordable – great value for a superb dram – typically quite an intense sherry “bomb!”

Fast forward a decade, and Aberlour is still producing different batches of their cask strength A’bunadh – known to be sherried and intense! However, it has been joined by a spin-off expression A’bunadh Alba for those who are after an intense ex-Bourbon cask experience instead.

What did we think of the “Original” sherry expression?

Aberlour A’Bunadh Batch 077 (22 March 2023) 60.8% 

  • Colour – Dark burgundy with bright amber and ruby gem tones
  • Nose – There is no question this whisky was matured in sherry casks, however, it was surprisingly mild! In addition to the standard sherry elements, there was creamy milk chocolate, joined by a dusting of bitter cacao, some nougat and chocolate ganache, topped with caramel vanilla ice cream… beneath all of this sweetness was a rum-like coffee liqueur
  • Palate – Mmmm…. simply marvellous! Soft and divinely dessert-like, rich and robust, yet not too intense – a perfect balance. Some marinated jammy dark fruits, raisins, nuts, mocha, creamy buttery biscuits, dessert in a glass!
  • Finish – Sooo good! A delightful spice, chocolate, joined by cinnamon, berries and closes with a nutty element
  • Water – For many, it made the whisky even more accessible

What a treat! I was so happy to revisit this Aberlour expression. In many ways, I think this is even better than some of the ones I tried a few years ago!

One described it as an Opera torte – once mentioned, the description stuck! Why? As every element in the cake fit! From the layers of almond sponge cake soaked in coffee syrup to the ganache and coffee French buttercream slathered between the layers, and then covered in a chocolate glaze.

What about the official tasting notes? Here you go!

  • Nose – Aromas of mixed spices, praline and spiced orange harmonising with rich, deep notes of Oloroso Sherry
  • Palate – Orange, black cherries, dried fruit and ginger spiked with dark bitter chocolate and enriched with Sherry and Oak. Full-bodied and creamy
  • Finish – Robust and intense with bitter-sweet notes of exotic spices, dark chocolate and oak

And what would this expression set you back? Currently, it can be purchased in Germany for Eur 75.

Curious about other tasting experiences with Aberlour? Read on:

Our sherry evening also featured:

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Glenfarclas 12 year (2009) 46%

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It has been a while since I picked up a Glenfarclas – one of those familiar friend whiskies that are a staple of any well-stocked bar. Now I will admit to having a soft spot for Glenfarclas – as they have remained a family-owned independent distilllery – across several generations – six and counting! So when I spotted this special release just for Germany I was lucky to get a bottle before it sold out!

Glenfarclas is known for using sherry casks and has kept a consistent range of expressions over the years – not veering into wild experimentation – instead sticking to tried and true traditional methods and maturation approaches.

This is why I thought it fitting to include this expression in our sherry evening in Nurnberg… and where we started our tasting evening!

Glenfarclas 12 year (2009/2021) 46% (Whisky.de Clubflasche)

  • Nose – Unmistakable sherry nose yet balanced, caramel, figs, dates, some sweet spices, raisins, a bit of sulfur/rubber with licorice, some maritime elements with a salty touch… overall light spice, sherry sweet with enough other elements going on to make it interesting
  • Palate – Much subtler than expected, nutty, and most enjoyable, perhaps even a hint of fresh tobacco leaf, it isn’t heavy yet quite well-rounded, and there is some oak joining the slightly salty nuts
  • Finish – A bit of spice lingers
  • Water – Not necessary but opens up nicely with!

While sometimes Glenfarclas can have an edge (especially the 105!), this one was smooth and satisfying. The longer it spent in the glass, the more enjoyable it became. With the revisit after sampling other sherry drams, we concluded it is simply a solid performer.

I purchased this whisky in October 2021 from whic.de for Eur 60.

Curious about other Glenfarclas experiences?

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A pair of single casks – Glen Spey and GlenAllachie

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A few years ago, I enthusiastically purchased a Whisky advent calendar – all single casks, each unique. This was my special “welcome to Germany” gift. Slowly but surely over the years, I’ve opened a couple more, typically a pair at a time.

After a bit of a break, it was high time to crack open a few more… this time a pair from Speyside…

Glen Spey 21 Year Old (Jan 1997/Nov 2018) cask 12952, 51.1% (Douglas Laing Xtra Old Particular), 256 bottles

  • Nose – Waxy, coconut oil, raw banana peels, barley mash, light spice… after some time, a hint of salty toffee
  • Palate – Started off with a real spicy chili kick, a bit sweet and sour
  • Finish – Bitter with the spice lingering, tapering into sweetness
  • Water – Brings out a spicy fruity mix – jackfruit

Not sure what I was expecting, however, the more I sipped, the more I enjoyed it.

Douglas Laing tasting notes:

The nose is sweet and lively with chocolate covered coconut, juicy barley and gentle spice. The palate reveals layer on layer of vanilla alongside creamy toffee and warm sponge cake, and the long finish has a mellow oak quality, with marshmallows and caramelised sugar.

Remarkably, Master of Malt still has it in stock – for a ‘mere’ Eur 220!

GlenAllachie 13 year (25 Oct 2005 / 13 Jun 2019), Cask 901062, 65.1% (Lady of the Glen) 368 bottles

  • Nose – Such a bouquet! Fruity, floral, then creamy, nutty, malty, yummy! Reminded me of juicy fruit gum! Then shifted into old over-ripe fruits, mascarpone
  • Palate – Resinous, herbal, then chocolaty, nutty, buttery, stewed fruits
  • Finish – Long, strong with a bit of nutty bitterness
  • Water – Definitely add! Brightens and lightens without losing the spike kick

What a character! There is something also a bit different about this one. I’m not sure if it was the Marsala finish or something else, but it’s tough to pin down… and that’s what makes it fun.

What more do we know? It was matured in a single bourbon hogshead and then finished in Marsala Wine Butt from Sicily.

The folks at Master of Malt had this to say:

  • Nose: Floral malt, vanilla biscuits, and milk chocolate Maltesars, with caramelized nuts.
  • Palate: Apricot jam on fresh toast with lots of melted butter, vanilla cream, and nougat.
  • Finish: Dried fruit, namely more apricot, with toasted walnut and vanilla pod.

Would I agree? Certainly!

Once upon a time, this whisky retailed for Eur 96, however suspect you won’t find it so easily now.

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Gordon + MacPhail Discovery: Glenrothes 11 year 43% 

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In our exploration of Gordon & MacPhail’s Discovery range, we had not one but two Sherry expressions. The Miltonduff was a sheer delight – sherry with lovely balance. So what about this 2nd Sherry expression from the Speyside distillery Glenrothes?

Known to typically mature in sherry casks, slowing down is one of their mantras – aware that their spirit tends to need more time in the barrel and also needs time in the glass to open up. What this means is that even an 11-year-old can come across as “young”, a bit brash and spicy along with the rich sherry notes.

What did we think?

Glenrothes 11 year 43% 

  • Colour – Tawny (1.4)
  • Nose – Quite spirited taking some time to settle down. Green grapes then started to reveal more typical sherry elements of toffee, dried fruits, some mocha
  • Palate – A bit aggressive, the fruits and berries were there but also had a spice kick with pronounced wood qualities too
  • Finish – Spicy with some cinnamon chocolate
  • Water – It helped! Brought the sherry elements more to the front – stewed plums, sweet spices, and some herbs too. Also a nice tobacco on the nose and hazelnut on the palate.

We would 100% recommend trying water with this one – certainly gentled some of the more forceful elements. There was none of the balance we absolutely loved in the 1st two whiskies sampled – the Aultmore and Miltonduff – however for all the intense top notes, it wasn’t as rich as I had expected.

It might be one to try again… What do the good folks over at Gordon & Macphail have to say?

Rich toffee aromas mingle with stewed fruits, sherry influences mix with forest fruits, delicate cinnamon and chocolate.

Raspberry and blackberries complemented by cinnamon and charred oak, with a creamy milk chocolate and orange finish.

Nearly without fail, I find Gordon & Macphail’s tasting notes on point. In this case, I could understand where they were coming from, however, you can tell from our description we found a different character, even if some elements were in common.

Perhaps had we tried just the Glenrothes without the Miltonduff, we would have been perfectly satisfied. However side-by-side, the Glenrothes was simply outclassed by the gentler, more nuanced, and elegant Miltonduff for most of us – with one exception! This simply goes to prove – palate preferences are personal. What appeals to one may differ from others’ opinions. And that’s what makes tasting with others so much fun!

Our evening explored a quartet from Gordon & Macphail’s Discovery series.

And what about other experiences with Glenrothes? There have been more than a few!

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Gordon + MacPhail Discovery: Miltonduff 10 year 43% 

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After the delightful Aultmore10 year, we moved on to Miltonduff. A key element in Ballentine’s blend, increasingly, we see more and more Miltonduff standing on its own as a single malt. I’ve generally found my experience with Miltonduff positive – charming, elegant yet with enough substance to not be a total lightweight.

As for this ex-sherry expression? After twice sampling it at whisky shows (Singapore 2018, Paris 2022), I simply HAD to have a full bottle to experience at leisure!

So what did we think this summer in Nurnberg?

Miltonduff 10 year 43% 

  • Colour – Tawny (1.4)
  • Nose – Wow! Stewed fruits, dates, plums, Christmas pudding, sweet spices, rum raisins, over time a lovely marshmallow sweetness
  • Palate – What a delightful dry sherry! Some spice, dark fruits, creamy cocoa, a special cake, dry wood
  • Finish – Toffee, honey… over time shifting to a lovely honeyed citrus orange finish
  • Water – At 43% it may seem counter-intuitive to add, however, it really boosts the creamy caramel and treacle quality, amps up the sweet spices, goes from stewed fruits to juicy tropical fruits, dry to fresh wood

So wonderfully smooth, balanced with a truly lovely mouthfeel. Whilst a bit “dry” without water, a few drops of water transformed it.

For those newer to whisky tasting, the impact of just a little water was a revelation! How could just a few drops of water make such a difference? Yet it does!

Overall we were rather pleased with this one – most enjoyable! The more time in the glass, the more it delighted – a delicious dessert in a glass!

What do the good folks over at Gordon & Macphail have to say about this expression?

Dry sherry aromas mingle with stewed raisin and roasted hazelnut, complemented by fresh citrus edge.

Creamy milk chocolate and orange zest flavours lead to spiced stewed fruits.

The finish is fruity with lingering citrus.

All in all, a great start to an evening exploring Gordon and MacPhail’s Discovery range.

Our evening explored a quartet from Gordon & Macphail’s Discovery series.

And what about other explorations of Miltonduff? Here are some tastings:

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Calibration Dram – Glen Grant “The Major’s Reserve” 40%

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During our inaugural Nurnberg Whisky tasting group evening, my co-conspirator in setting up the event brought along his “Calibration” whisky… It was an easy-drinking dram that he consistently starts with – a brilliant idea!

The beauty of this approach is to be able to discern immediately whether one is truly in the mood for a tasting. If something that normally is appealing and amiable doesn’t suit you – chances are it isn’t the whisky, it’s you! As let’s face it, every night is NOT whisky time! 🙂

By easing the palate into each tasting in a consistent way – with a straightforward accessible dram – he’s already tuned in to aromas. And with a low alcohol count (only 40%), one’s palate adjusts to spirits, ready to interpret flavours beyond the initial hit of alcohol. Genius.

So what did he bring?

Glen Grant “The Major’s Reserve” 40% 

  • Nose – Honey, fruit – mostly apples and pears – then also a nuttiness, shortbread, vanilla cream, hint of tobacco leaf, a lovely floral perfume
  • Palate – Gentle spice, creamy butterscotch, fruit, oak
  • Finish – Slightly bitter and astringent, tobacco and spice

Overall an affable, accessible, and exceedingly affordable dram. In Germany, you can find it for only Eur 18!

I was lucky to have just a few drops remaining in the bottle to linger over with most of my tasting notes from that later revisit.

My previous experience with Glen Grant has been at more sociable gatherings where no tasting notes were taken or venerable drams like a 60 year old or 64-year-old. It was quite interesting to glimpse a significantly younger avatar – perhaps as little as just three years!

After our palate calibration dram, we continued with a quartet from Gordon & Macphail’s Discovery series.

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Wee indulgence – Glenburgie 21 year 43%

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I’ve made no secret of my partiality to Glenburgie… I love the classic quality, the pears, yum! I also find Gordon & MacPhail simply incredibly reliable in their cask choice and maturing. However, my last Glenburgie was a bit of a disappointment – an 8 year Single Cask 46% (Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Hepburn’s Choice). At the time, I simply chalked it up to the choice of a single cask as another 8 year from That Boutique-y Whisky Co was lovely!

And that’s when I learned that back in 2000, Glenburgie production stopped with the distillery being completely rebuilt in 2003/2004. So the question is… even if one pursues a similar distillery profile and approach, surely changing the set-up must make a difference?

And that’s when I also realized, all of the expressions that made me so fond of Glenburgie and think of this dram as the “Downtown Abbey” of whiskies came from the period before production stopped. Knowing that I simply had to include this 21-year in our line-up of Swansong drams…

Glenburgie 21 year 43% (Gordon & MacPhail – Distillery Label)

  • Nose – Classic, damp, treacle, lots of honey, citrus, orange blossom honey, grainy honey too, marmalade, sunshine, warm biscuits slathered in vanilla cream
  • Palate – Delicious, soft well rounded coats your tongue, nice white pepper, honey
  • Finish – Lovely warmth

Pure delight! Thank goodness! It was exactly the joyful summery dram I wanted… The notes from our evening are limited as I simply lost myself in enjoying the whisky and not documenting every detail! As this bottle remains with me in Mumbai, I’ll no doubt revisit it again and again, perhaps adding further colour and nuance to my tasting notes.

I purchased it from an online distributor in Germany – Whic for quite a reasonable Eur 110 – considering the caliber and quality of the whisky!

What do the folks at Gordon & MacPhail have to say?

  • Cask Type Refill Sherry butts
  • Colour Dark Gold
  • Aroma Notes of brown sugar-covered stewed raisins mingle with hints of roasted hazelnuts. Delicate floral aromas are complemented by sweet vanilla and freshly cut dry hay.
  • Taste Full and fruity; stewed apple, cinnamon, and clove flavours come to the fore initially. Ripe summer berries emerge and combine with fresh mint highlights and refined toasted malt undertones.
  • Finish Long with lingering charred oak and a subtle herbal undertone.

We tried it together in early January 2023 in Mumbai in an evening exploring “Swansong” drams:

And if you are curious about other Glenburgie tasting experiences? Read on…

From before the distillery was shut and rebuilt:

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