Whisky Review: Miltonduff 2008 Pre-Octave

• Category: Speyside single malt scotch whisky
• Origin: Miltonduff distillery
• Bottling: Duncan Taylor, The Octave, IB
• ABV: 53.1%
• Cost: ?

What they say

For many years, Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Ltd. has experimented in the use of differing cask sizes for the maturation of Single Malt and Single Grain Scotch whiskies. The research stemmed from a simple premise that there is more interaction between the wood and the spirit over a shorter period of time in a small cask than in a large cask, therefore allowing a more rapid “melding” of wood, air and alcohol.

What I say

Thanks to Duncan Taylor for the sample.

Distilled at Miltonduff in 2008 matured in an ex-bourbon cask.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: White wine gold (1/20), quick medium tears leave long, medium-fine legs.
• Nose: Fresh lemon, apple and pear juice sweetened with honey, feints, light cereal barley, a little vanilla, like an apple danish pastry, some light and sweet florals, very fresh with just a hint of oak wood.
• Taste: Light-bodied, silky and and a touch spirity and spiced on the palate, a lot more neutral than the sweetness and freshness of the nose suggests, baked apples unsweetened, more pastry-like cereal notes bordering on savoury, white & chilli pepper spices and a little solventy towards the end. A dash of water reduces it to creamy vanilla ice cream and some odd fruit medley, white grape, melon and apple.
• Finish: Medium, vaporous, baked fruits and oak wood, drying and a little sour.

Overall

This Miltonduff is just not quite there. Lots of good qualities, light, refreshing, floral, fruity and sweet on the nose but the palate is too spirity and vaporous. Along with the colour I’d suggest a good start in a refill ex-Bourbon hogshead but not quite ready to drink yet.

Score 70/100

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