The Singleton of Dufftown Sunray (40%, OB, 2015)

• Dufftown Distillery – Diageo
• 40% ABV
• £39.89
• Score: 82/100

What they say:

THE SINGLETON OF DUFFTOWN SUNRAY
A smooth and elegant example of Dufftown’s honeyed intensity, golden and rich on the palate with notes of blackcurrant and heather honey on the nose.

STRENGTH 40% ABV

APPEARANCE Medium to light amber.

NOSE Incredibly soft, starting deep with Demerara sugar and baked apple, rising with heather honey and floral top notes. Blackcurrant and bramble leave a soft balance.

BODY Light

PALATE Sweet and rounded with soft spice amongst fruity notes.

FINISH Sweet, with blackcurrants and vanilla.

What I say:

Sample B5A from the recent NAS vs age statement blind-tasting see The Great Age Statement Debate and Photo Finish Between Age Statement And NAS Whisky In Big Blind Tasting.

This NAS expression from Dufftown distillery was compared directly with the The Singleton of Dufftown 12 Years Old expression.

Colour:

Sauternes, light gold (2/20), medium droplet tears, slow and oily with fine trails

Nose:

Grassy, cereal barley, grist, heather honey sweet, zesty fruit jellies, lime, grapefruit, tangerine and peach

Taste:

Smooth, rich and syrupy, some zesty citrus and pith, grapefruit, orange, lemon, lime a touch of spicy pepper, toffee and caramel, thins with a prickly heat

Finish:

Medium, orange, salted caramel and white pepper with a little bitterness

Overall:

Thin and bitter in places this expression was a little more oilier and mouthwatering than the standard 12 Year old expression from Dufftown. We guessed this was the NAS expression of these two examples and we also preferred it slightly less (again only 1 point difference).