Review - Black Bull 40 years old

Black Bull is an award-winning super-premium blended whisky from the independent bottler of Duncan Taylor.  This 40 years old expression, which is bottled in small batches and was first released in 2010, has yielded just 1,500 bottles.  It contains a high single malt content of 84% for a blended whisky and some of the rare single malts included are Aberlour 1975, Glenlivet 1968 and Macallan 1967. The oldest whisky in the blend was distilled in 1966.  The Black Bull brand has been around for over 75 years since it was originally produced in the early 1930s, with Duncan Taylor taking it over in 2001.

Our Top 10 - Independent Bottling Companies

The world of the independent whisky bottling companies can seem confusing, especially when in your whisky journey.  However a few pieces of basic information can help - this opens up a huge new corner of the industry and offers many more products to choose from and taste. Essentially, these companies buy casks from the distilleries, or send them empty casks to be filled and stored, and then carefully choose when to bottle and release them.

New releases > Aberlour 1993 'Dimensions' from Duncan Taylor

Earlier this month the award winning independent bottler Duncan Taylor announced the launch of The Dimensions Collection.  This is a range of single malt and single grain Scotch whiskies that showcase some of the best casks in their stock. The collection demonstrates the multi dimensional levels of character and flavour available from individual distilleries and casks. The Dimensions Collection consists of two versions of bottling - single cask, cask strength releases and exclusively numbered small batches at 46% ABV. The initial bottlings, listed below, are now available in specialist whisky retailers.

The Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Ltd. were set up in Glasgow in 1938 with the plan to bottle and blend whisky for export to America following the Prohibition period there. Originally based in Glasgow, they are now based in the town of Huntly close to the Speyside whisky region of Scotland. Duncan Taylor are reported to have one of the largest privately held collections of rare whisky casks in the world and bottle approximately 200 different whiskies a year. Their range is extensive and has numerous branches to it, of which The Dimensions Collection is the latest facet.

We were recently delighted to receive a small sample of the Aberlour 1993, which forms part of the initial release. This also includes a Bunnhabhain 1988, Cameronbridge 1978, Clynelish 1995, Glenlivet 1981, Glen Moray 1988, Glenrothes 1992, Macduff 1997, Mortlach 1989 and Royal Brackla 1997. For further information on The Dimensions Collection and the full range of Duncan Taylor whiskies, visit www.duncantaylor.com.

Aberlour 1993 > Our tasting notes
This whisky is bottled at 18 years of age and a strength of 54.3% ABV.  It has been matured in an ex-bourbon cask (cask no. 7371 to be exact) following its distillation at the Speyside distillery of Aberlour in 1993. There are just 277 bottles and it is retailing around the £65-70 mark.

The colour is a pale golden yellow and the nose is fresh, vibrant and full of the classic bourbon cask characteristics - vanilla, oak, honey and coconut.  There are also numerous other aromas that come through with time to create a delicious and very promising scent - toffee, stewed pears and apples, lemon zest, bittersweet cereals and hints of peach and custard powder.  On the palate, the vibrancy of the nose continues.  An initial mouth watering hit of vanilla, wood spice (think of nutmeg and cinnamon) and lemon zest, is closely followed by notes of honey, creamy toffee and the cereals and stewed fruits from the nose. A late fruity note of peaches and dried mango add to the incredible depth and complexity.  The finish is decently long, with the initial honey and cereal sweetness turning more oaky and spicy towards the end.  The cinnamon and nutmeg from earlier are particularly prominent and create a good balance and dryness.

What's the verdict?
Duncan Taylor are multi award winning and have a great reputation within the whisky industry and with whisky drinkers.  It is easy to see why when you sample this delightful single malt.  It combines freshness and vibrancy with depth and compexity of flavour and aroma. The addition of a few drops of water makes the palate more creamy with the vanilla and honey aromas and notes increasing, while the wood spices and zest are reduced. 

This is a lovely and delicate expression of Aberlour, which normally undergoes ex-sherry cask maturation in the distillery releases and are therefore much richer and sweeter.  If only all single cask whiskies or independent bottlings were of this exceptional quality ...

Inbox > December 9, 2011

Welcome to Inbox - our weekly round up of whisky news and PR type material that has recently found its way in to our email inbox. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece that we receive. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we will write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information if you want to. Here are this week's nuggets of news ...

Amrut > New Portonova released

The innovative Indian distillery of Amrut have announced the release of their latest limited edition single malt whisky.  The Amrut Portonova was first matured in new American oak and ex-Bourbon barrels and then transferred to Port casks from one of the most famous (although un-named) Port houses in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal for a further one year maturation period.  It was then back to ex-Bourbon barrels for finishing, Each stage of the maturation took place at the distillery warehouses in Bangalore. The Portonova has been bottled at a natural cask strength of 61.2% ABV and this limited edition consists of just 1250 bottles worldwide.  These have been split roughly in to thirds and will be sold in specialist retailers in the European, UK and USA markets for around €85, £75 or $115 respectively.

Duncan Taylor > Enters new Dimensions

The award winning independent bottler Duncan Taylor have announced the launch of The Dimensions Collection - an range of single malt and single grain Scotch whiskies that showcase some of their best casks. The collection showcases the multi dimensional levels of character and flavour available from individual distilleries and casks. The Dimensions collection consists of two versions of bottling - single cask, cask strength releases and exclusively numbered small batches at 46% ABV. The Dimensions Collection is now available in specialist whisky retailers.

The initial release includes an Aberlour 1993, Bunnhabhain 1988, Cameronbridge 1978, Clynelish 1995, Glenlivet 1981, Glen Moray 1988, Glenrothes 1992, Macduff 1997, Mortlach 1989 and Royal Brackla 1997. For further information on The Dimensions Collection and the full range of Duncan Taylor whiskies, visit www.duncantaylor.com.

Spirit of Unity > Raises cash for Japan

Earlier in the year, we reported on a unique whisky that was created by a group of seven independent Scottish distilleries. Each of the seven – Arran, Benriach, Bladnoch, Glendronach, Glengyle, Kilchoman and Springbank – donated a single cask of single malt, which were blended together to create a limited edition whisky named Spirit of Unity. The project was created to raise vital funds for relief efforts following the devastating natural disaster in Japan in March.  The 2,000 bottles have now been sold and have raised a staggering £95,000 for various charities.  Just a few remain, which are to be presented in limited box sets containing bottles signed by each of the seven Master Distillers. These will be auctioned in early 2012 to raise further funds.

Talisker > New packaging launched

The iconic single malt from the isle of Skye has revealed a full revamp of its packaging which will be released to all markets in early 2012. The new packaging will be rolled out over the entire range. The outer cartons feature powerful maritime photography and coastal scenes, taken by photographers Cailean Maclean (a Skye resident) and Angus Bremner, and a more prominent map of the island and distillery location. The bottle label features a bolder Talisker font and more prominence is placed on the Established 1830 message.

Talisker's Distillery Manager Mark Lochhead is enthusiastic about the new designs, saying “Talisker is made by the sea in every sense of the word. To have this captured in these new designs is exciting for everyone here. At the same time it both speaks to our own roots and helps consumers understand what kind of place Skye is".

New releases > Black Bull Special Reserve

The Black Bull Special Reserve is a newly released blended whisky from Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Ltd, the renowned independent bottling company. It joins the award winning 12, 30 and 40 year old versions in the Black Bull range, which has been around since the 1930s. The brand was acquired by Duncan Taylor in 2001 and revamped recently.  The Special Reserve is a small batch release (batch number one in fact) and there are only 978 bottles.  It is constructed using equal measures of single malt and grain whiskies, which is relatively rare in blending circles (the grain whisky percentage is normally higher). This premium blended whisky is bottled at the natural strength of 46.6% ABV and should cost around £95 from specialist whisky retailers.

New releases > Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Ltd.

The Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Ltd. were set up in Glasgow in 1938 with the plan to bottle and blend whisky for export to America following the Prohibition period there. They are now based in the town of Huntly, close to the Speyside whisky region of Scotland. Duncan Taylor are reported to have one of the largest privately held collections of rare whisky casks in the world and bottle approximately 200 different whiskies a year. Their range is extensive and has numerous branches to it, which are detailed below. For more information on Duncan Taylor, their whisky and the different ranges, check out their website www.duncantaylor.com.

We were delighted to receive a small package last week, which contained samples of some of the new releases from across their ranges - we thank Karen Law of Duncan Taylor for this. Normally, we may not write about these, as they are such limited releases, but the parcel contained a number of lesser known distilleries that we are not so familiar with and as such, therefore haven't written much about them. It's always good to try new things, right? If you like the sound of any of them, then don't hang around as none of their bottlings ever seem to stay on the shelves for long. They can be found in specialist whisky retailers.

Auchroisk 22 years old Octave
Auchroisk (pronounced ar-thrusk) is located in the eastern corner of the Speyside region. It is also one of the youngest distilleries in Scotland having been founded in 1974 and has an annual production capacity of 3.8 million litres. The whisky produced there is used within popular blended whiskies such as Johnnie Walker and J&B. Single malt bottlings are rare, so this one is a treat - it's distilled in 1988 and has been matured in an octave cask (a cask that is the eighth the size of a regular cask), before being bottled at 22 years of age and 52% ABV.

The colour is golden yellow and the nose is lovely with plenty of vanilla, brown sugar, oak and zesty lemons. It has a youthful freshness which defies its age. On the palate, the tangy lemon zest hits first and then give way to notes of robust cereal grain, honey, sweet vanilla, coconut and toffee. There are hints of dried grasses and toasted almonds. A final hit of oak grips the palate and carries on through to the finish, in which this oak gives a pleasant dryness. The toasted almonds and cereals are particularly prominent on the finish.

Bunnahabhain 32 years old Rare Auld
Bunnahabhain (pronounced bunna-ha-ven) is located on the north eastern coast of the famous whisky island of Islay. It is the lightest of the Islay malts, which are known for their peaty and smoky nature, and commonly is not peaty at all. The distillery was founded in 1881 and has a current production capacity of 2.5 million litres per year. Most of the whisky produced is used as the base in a variety of blends, including Black Bottle. This bottling was distilled in 1979 and is 32 years old from cask no. 1774, with an alcoholic strength of 46.9% ABV.

The colour is golden yellow and the nose is complex and pleasant. First up are aromas of dusty cereal grains, followed by toffee, something floral (honeysuckle maybe?), wood spices (especially cinnamon) and some salty brine. On the palate, this is soft and buttery but with an initial salty and slightly citric tangy (imagine orange rind). Then come notes of toffee, sandalwood, vanilla and heavy and yeasty malted barley, all of which are backed up by further brine. The finish is sweet and full of barley, with the toffee and brine never far away.

Craigellachie 11 years old NC2
The Craigellachie distillery is located in the village of the same name in the heart of the Speyside region. It sits at the point where two famous rivers meet - the Spey and the Fiddich. Craigellachie was founded in 1891 and was designed by famous architect Charles Doig. It currently produces 3.5 million litres per year with most contributing towards the popular Dewar's range of blended whiskies. Single malt bottlings are extremely rare - this one is 11 years of age, was distilled in 1999 and has an alcoholic strength of 46% ABV.

The colour is a pale lemon yellow and the nose is very light and delicate. The subtle aromas take time to evolve and include dry, gristy barley, honey, vanilla and toffee. There are also hints of lemon zest and dried grass or hay. On the palate, this is again light and delicate. It is initially very grainy, before this subsides and the other subtle notes come through - honey, vanilla, lemon sherbet, plus the tiniest hints of toffee, damp earthy smoke and hay. The finish is a little bittersweet and is deliciously fresh, vibrant and mouth watering.

Invergordon 1972 Rare Auld Grain
Invergordon is a large grain distillery which is located on the shores of the Cromarty Firth in the northern Highlands, near the town of Alness. It was built in 1961 and now occupies a huge 80 acre site. Invergordon produces grain whisky which is used a the base for the popular range of Whyte & Mackay blended whiskies. Releases as a single grain whisky are very rare and this one was distilled in 1972 and has been maturing in cask no.85255 ever since. It has been bottled at the cask strength of 45.5% ABV. We have never tried any whisky from this distillery.

The colour is a dark golden yellow and the nose is expressive and vibrant for a whisky of this age. With time, it reveals aromas of sweet honey, vanilla, robust cereals, orange oils, chocolate and plenty of wood spices (think sandalwood, cinnamon). On the palate, this really comes out of its shell. A fantastic combination of coconut, honey and oranges hits your taste buds, followed up by the robust grains, vanilla and drying, slightly tannic wood spices. The orange and vanilla notes carry through to the finish, which is otherwise deliciously dry, woody and spicy.

Have just tried > Big Smoke 60

Big Smoke is a blended whisky created by Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Ltd, which are one of Scotland’s largest independent bottling companies. There are two whiskies in the range – the Big Smoke 40 and the 60 – and both are blended in small batches. These are the same whiskies but are bottled at different alcoholic strengths – 40% and 60% ABV respectively. Big Smoke is a young blend and contains a large percentage of smoky single malts from the western isle of Islay. The island is traditionally famous for this style of whisky and this whisky has been created to appeal to fans of big, peaty and smoky characteristics. This new batch will retail at around the £30 mark from specialist whisky retailers.

Duncan Taylor were set up in Glasgow in 1938 with the plan to bottle and blend whisky for export to America following the Prohibition period there. They are now based in the town of Huntly, close to the Speyside whisky region of Scotland. Duncan Taylor are reported to have one of the largest privately held collections of rare whisky casks in the world and bottle approximately 200 different whiskies a year. Their range is extensive and has numerous branches to it. For more information on their ranges of whisky and Duncan Taylor, check out their website www.duncantaylor.com.

Our tasting notes
The colour is a pale lemon yellow and the nose is immediately fresh, vibrant and punchy. The name of the whisky should be a clue as to what to expect - BIG SMOKE! This smokiness has an intense burnt ashy quality to it, which is backed up by some bitter iodine and phenol notes plus a whiff of surgical spirit. The high alcohol level and intense smokiness present a barrier to begin with but slowly other aromas appear as the whisky settles in the glass - plenty of cereal grains and dried grass (think of straw and hay), some vanilla, honey and a hint of tangy lemon. On the palate, this immediately numbs your taste buds and seems brash and overpowering but it is better than that. Once your mouth gets used to the alcoholic strength, the characteristics of the whisky begin to reveal themselves - this is fiery and hot with plenty of burnt ash and chilli spice, with sweet notes of vanilla, icing sugar and honey giving balance. There are also notes of robust cereals (imagine oatcakes especially), that dried grass from the nose, some salty brine and juicy, zesty lemons. The finish is long and spicy with the ash and chilli notes lingering in particular. The robust cereals/oats come through more and more with time.

A whisky of this strength suggests that some water should be added. Up on doing this (just a few drops) the characteristics are immediately softened and the effect of the powerful alcohol is lessened. The smokiness is soft and gentle now (think of damp embers), although still ashy with a hint of hot peppery spice. Plenty of vanilla and milled oat notes are present, as is a new vegetal note which is reminiscent of cooked asparagus. The palate is creamy with vanilla again prominent. The soft smoke and sweet notes above combine well and more dried grass is evident. The finish is shorter but very pleasant and leaves a slight bitter freshness in the mouth.

What's the verdict?
This is a lively whisky that is enjoyable and a good example of the smoky style at a high/cask strength. However, we recommend drinking it with some water as while it shows its potential without, it is a little hard on the senses. With water it truly reveals its quality. Having said that, you will have to really be a fan of the smoky/peaty style of whisky to fully enjoy this and it is not for the faint hearted! Others may find it too strong or concentrated in flavour. Duncan Taylor have produced a very good whisky here and it offers plenty for your £30.

New releases ... Black Bull 40 years old

A new addition to the 'family'
The Black Bull range of blends is owned by Duncan Taylor & Co, one of Scotland's largest independent bottling companies. They have recently revamped the brand and this new 40 years old joins a 12 and a 30 years old in the range. The Black Bull brand has been around for over 70 years since it was originally produced in the early 1930s, with Duncan Taylor taking it over in 2001. We thank Karen Law at Duncan Taylor for supplying us with this sample. More information can be found on www.blackbullwhisky.com.

Large collection of casks
Duncan Taylor and Co. were set up in Glasgow in 1938 with the plan to bottle and blend whisky for export to America following Prohibition. They are now based in the town of Huntly, close to the Speyside whisky region of Scotland. Duncan Taylor are reported to have one of the largest privately held collections of rare whisky casks in the world and bottle approximately 200 different whiskies a year. Their range is extensive and has numerous branches to it . For more information on their ranges of whisky and Duncan Taylor, check out their website www.dtcscotch.com.

High single malt content
The Black Bull 40 Year Old is a premium blended whisky and contains 90% single malt whisky and 10 % grain whisky. As with all blended whiskies, the stated age (in this case, 40 years old) is that of the youngest whisky that is contained within the blend. This is the first batch of Black Bull 40 years old. It is released this week and it contains whiskies aged between 40 and 44 years of age. The single malt whiskies included are from a broad mix of distilleries - Bunnahabhain, Glenburgie, Glenfarclas, Glenlivet, Highland Park, Miltonduff, Springbank and Tamdhu, with the grain whisky coming from Invergordon. It is bottled at 40.2% ABV and should cost around £125 from specialist retailers or Duncan Taylor's website.

Our tasting notes
The colour of Black Bull 40 years old is a deep golden yellow and the nose is inviting. It feels fresh considering the age of the whiskies including. The nose is packed with obvious vanilla, coconuts and lots of oak. These aromas are joined by more subtle notes - honey, dried grasses, cereal grains, something citric (think of lemon or orange zest) and a slight hint of dusty mustiness creeps in with time. On the palate, this is intense and zingy with the vanilla, oak and coconut at the forefront again. These mingle with other more subtle notes that give this whisky pleasant complexity - there is plenty of honey, some almonds, dried fruits (imagine raisins, sultanas and apricots), cereals and dried grasses/hay. A lovely oaky spicy element appears towards the end of the palate that is reminiscent of a combination of ginger and nutmeg. The finish is massively woody and oaky, with vanilla and cereal grains prominent. It becomes very dry, very quickly but remains as clean and intense as before.

What's the verdict?
This is a very pleasant whisky and offers exceptionally good value for money, when you consider the age of the whiskies involved (check out the prices of some of the 40 year old single malts that are around and you will see what we mean!). It is remarkably fresh for a whisky of this age and maintains its intensity despite the relatively low ABV alcoholic strength. A lovely dram.

Have just tried ... Black Bull 12 years old

The Black Bull range of blends is owned by Duncan Taylor & Co, one of Scotland's largest independent bottling companies. They have recently revamped the brand and we have been lucky enough to get a sample of the 12 years old to try (we thank Karen Law at Duncan Taylor for this). The blend has been around for over 70 years since it was originally produced in the early 1930s, with Duncan Taylor taking over the brand in 2001. This new 12 years old version is a blend of 50% single malt whisky and 50% grain whisky and is also bottled at 50% ABV, to carry on the 50% theme! They also release a 30 years old version. A bottle of Black Bull 12 years old should cost around £35 from specialist whisky retailers. More information can be found on www.blackbullwhisky.com.

Duncan Taylor and Co. were set up in Glasgow in 1938 with the plan to bottle and blend whisky for export to America following Prohibition. They are now based in the town of Huntly, close to the Speyside whisky region of Scotland. Duncan Taylor are reported to have one of the largest privately held collections of rare whisky casks in the world and bottle approximately 200 different whiskies a year. Their range is extensive and has numerous branches to it . For more information on their ranges of whisky and Duncan Taylor, check out their website www.dtcscotch.com.

The colour of this Black Bull 12 years old is golden amber and the nose is robust and aromatic. It is packed with clean, expressive notes that fight for your attention and make you want to take a sip - malty cereal grains and vanilla are particularly prominent, with dark dried fruits (think of raisins and sultanas), caramel, woody coconut and a hint of something darker (imagine cocoa powder). On the palate, this feels viscous, oily and little buttery. The malty grains hit first with a lovely sweet combination of the vanilla, caramel and coconut coming through shortly afterwards. There is also a distinct woody spiciness (think of cinnamon with a touch of pepper), some more dried fruit (especially sultanas) and some other fruits that are reminiscent of stewed pears and apples. The finish is clean, long and begins sweetly with vanilla, toffee and fruit before turning dry and slightly bitter (think of the coconut husks here). This leaves your mouth watering and wanting more.

Black Bull 12 years old is a rich, complex and characterful whisky that demonstrates how good blended whiskies can be if they are constructed and married with care and expertise. The robust nature and strength of the alcohol lends itself to adding water to the whisky and this takes away the spiciness and especially the dryness on the finish. This softens it and may appeal more, but in our opinion we prefer at 50% ABV as it is more interesting and flavoursome. A pleasant and enjoyable dram that is well worth a try.

Great places to drink whisky ... Albannach, London

On Wednesday 30th September, we were lucky enough to be invited to the launch night of the newly refurbished Albannach restuarant and whisky bar in London. Albannach (pronounced al-ban-nack) translates as 'Scotsman' from the Gaelic language and the bar is located right on London's famous Trafalgar Square. It was originally opened in early 2005 and was a pioneer for delivering contemporary Scottish cuisine and an extensive whisky collection to a wider public in the capital. Albannach has won many awards and much acclaim for the quality of its food, spirits and service.

Now, Albannach has been refreshed and given a contemporary feel that sympathetically brings the 19th century bank building in which it is housed up to date. They boast an extremely well stocked bar (over 130 whiskies and numerous other spirits), a whisky sommelier to help choose the correct dram to go with your meal and meeting rooms/ conference facilities. At the event, we were able to sample Albannach's own range of whiskies. They have been selected especially for them with help from the Glasgow based independent bottling company Duncan Taylor & Co. Below are our basic tasting notes with some additional facts supplied by the informative Michelangelo from the Albannach bar.

Albannach Blended 10 years old
This blended scotch is bottled at 40% ABV and will cost you £6.50 for a dram at the bar. The colour is golden with a light, fresh aromatic nose - there is vanilla, green fruit (think of pears and apples), toffee and a hint of grassiness (imagine dried grasses). The palate is sweet with a slight citrusy zing (think of lemon zest) added to the elements from the nose. It feels creamy and has a decent length of finish. This is a very enjoyable and easy drinking dram that is better than we expected of a 'house blend'. Very pleasant and easy drinking but would be great with a mixer or in a cocktail.

Albannach Speyside 14 years old
The Speyside distillery in question is Mortlach and it has been matured in American oak bourbon casks. We were interested to try this as bourbon cask matured Mortlach is rare, as the distillery is well known for its use of sherry casks. This is bottled at 46% ABV and will cost £7.50 for a dram. The colour is a straw-like gold and the nose is full of vanilla, coconut and warm spices (think of ginger and nutmeg). On the palate this is clean yet creamy and sweet. The vanilla, coconut and spice is there again as are some cereal grains and caramel. The balance is very good and the finish was surprisingly long, sweet and spicy (this spice was a bit more woody this time, like cinnamon). An excellent and interesting dram.

Albannach Islay 10 years old
The single malt used for this is from the famous Islay distillery of Bowmore. It is bottled at 46% ABV and a dram will cost £7.50 at the bar. The colour is a golden amber and the nose is rich and promising. There is some evidence of dried fruit (think of raisins and sultanas), caramel and earthy peat aromas (think of damp moss especially). On the palate, there is initial sweetness (that dried fruit again joined by some cereal grains and vanilla) and this turns smoky (imagine peaty earth) and slightly bitter (think of something like dark chocolate). It is rich yet feels refreshing and well balanced. The finish is long with a nice level of sweetness and a smokiness that is more bitter and reminiscent of an ashy bonfire than before. Excellent stuff - the whole range of the three whiskies are superb and worth trying if you are ever near Trafalgar Square.

We also had the opportunity to try a whisky cocktail that the bar team at Albannach had created. It is named 'Mosquito' and is a whisky based version of the famous Mojito cocktail. The 'Mosquito' contains a dram of Chival Regal 12 years old, fresh mint leaves, a dash of bitters, creme de peche (a peach liqueur), sugar syrup and peach juice, all poured over freshly crushed ice. This was very drinkable, with the sweetness balanced by the bitters and mint. This cocktail is definitely worth a try.

Albannach offers something different - quality food, an extensive whisky and drinks list ranging from £6 to £750 (Laphroaig 40 years old!) for a dram, knowledgeable staff, good service and pleasant surroundings in which to enjoy them all. It is a must for whisky fans to visit when in London and we had a great evening there. Their website is www.albannach.co.uk.

Have just tried ... Miltonduff 8 years old 'Battlehill' from Duncan Taylor

Miltonduff is a distillery in Speyside and most of the whisky distilled there goes into blended scotches. This makes official bottlings fairly hard to come by. This one is a young whisky released by Duncan Taylor in their 'Battlehill' range. Duncan Taylor are one of a number of independent bottling companies who buy casks of whisky from different distilleries and then choose when to release them. This makes these whiskies more limited and by buying independent bottlings, you can try rarer whisky at reasonable prices. This one had a fruity (citrus) nose but with an interesting sulphur undertone. This sounds horrible I know, but it wasn't a bad rotten egg smell but was subtle, like a coal fire burning in the distance somewhere. It was very creamy and refreshing to taste with those citrus zingy notes coming through well. This was good and is excellent value for a price of under £20.