Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
Brand: Miltonduff 2009 (Cask Sample Casqueteers)
Type: Single Malt
Age: 7 Years (April 2016)
ABV: Unknown. Probably 55-60%.
Whisky Review # 534
Sample provided by Adri from the Netherlands. Many Thanks!
Colour: Pale White Wine (Natural Colour). Compare this to your average Scottish Blend to know how much Caramel is used to artificially colour young whisky!
Nose: I'm very excited because I have never before Nosed and Tasted Cask samples from (relatively) young and immature whiskies. So here we go! On the Nose this Miltonduff indeed presents itself as a young Whisky. There is still a New Make feel to the Spirit and, consequently, the Alcohol is quite noticeable. To be honest, I expected a little more Cask influence given the fact that we are talking about a 7 Year old Malt. After a bit more air contact some light Floral and Fruity tones appear. I get Heather-Honey, Nectarine, Grass, Straw and light Citrus. Some Sugared Cereals, lightly Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Coconut, young Refill Oak and both Fresh - and Dried Herbs pop up as well. It did remind me somewhat of the Ballantine's Finest Blend.
Taste: Young, Hot and Edgy. The Alcohol is very strong and so are the Wood and Wood Spices. It's quite clear the Cask and the Spirit only have started to get to know each other. Again I would have expected the cask to be a little more active. I understand that the cask was 6 years old when the Miltonduff entered so it's certainly not a worn out cask. Only time will tell how the Spirit will further develop. At the moment I find Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Sugared Cereals, light Toffee, Green Apple, light Citrus, Nut Shells, Grass, Straw, light Licorice, Salt and Pepper.
Finish: Short, Sharp, Hot and Bitter-Sweet with Toasted Barley, light Toffee, light Caramel, light Butterscotch, Nut Shells, Grass, Straw, Floral Soap, Refill Oak, Lemon, Grapefruit, Salt, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and light Licorice. There is a medium strong Alcohol Bite towards the end.
Casqueteers
In 2011 three Whisky fans from the Netherlands jointly decided to buy a cask of Bunnahabhain 1986. The experiment was a success and the idea was taken a step further. Other selected casks would be bought and each cask would be offered up for sale in a limited number of parts per cask. The idea was to have a relatively small number of owners per cask that would facilitate joint tasting sessions. In the meantime 200 owners from Europe and Asia possess 45 casks from distilleries like Clynelish, Tomatin, Littlemill, Wolfburn, Strathearn, Isle of Harris, Tormore, Mortlach and Miltonduff. If you are interested to participate in this project, please visit their website: www.casQueteers.com
Miltonduff
This distillery was founded in 1824 and is located in Elgin. A huge reconstruction of the distillery took place in 1974. It changed hands various times over the years but since 2005 it is owned by Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard). Most of the production is destined for the Chivas blends. More specifically, Miltonduff and Glenburgie form the heart of Ballantine's. The Miltonduff Cask Sample I'm tasting today was distilled on the 11th of March 2009. It matures in a Refill Ex-Bourbon cask with Cask # 900068. It will probably be bottled around 2021/22.
Drinking Experience Neat: Young, Hot and Immature.
Conclusion: I really enjoyed this Nosing and Tasting session as it was the first in its kind for me. I must admit I had expected a little bit more Cask influence after 7 years. The Miltonduff 2009 still has a New Make Spirit Feel to it. You know it's gonna be a Whisky in a number of years but taste-wise it also still reminds me of German Fruit Liqueur (Obstler) and/or Flavoured Vodka as the Spirit is Young, Hot, Sharp and Nervous. It will be very interesting to see how this Spirit will develop in the coming years. My impression at the moment is that this Miltonduff might reach full maturity in 10 years or so.
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Country: Scotland
Region: Northern Highlands
Brand: Tomatin 2008 (Cask Sample Casqueteers)
Type: Single Malt
Age: 8 Years (April 2016)
ABV: Unknown. Probably 55-60%.
Whisky Review # 535
Sample provided by Adri from the Netherlands. Many Thanks!
Colour: Pale White Wine (Natural Colour)
Nose: Although the Alcohol is strong and noticeable, the Tomatin presents itself generally speaking as a Light and Milder Spirit when compared to the Miltonduff. It's obviously a different kind of cask. Again however I would have expected a few more Aromas and a little more colour after 8 years in the Ex-Sherry cask. The Tomatin is quite clean on the Nose and my first impressions are of Pear, Biscuits and Vanilla. After a while I find Floral tones, Perfumed Soap, Grass, Fresh Herbs, Lemon and light Spices. There is nothing really aggressive here and I suspect this Spirit will develop into a very nice Fruity Aperitif Whisky to be enjoyed on sunny days. After 10 minutes or so I find light additional notes of dark Red Forest Fruit.
Taste: Young, slightly Edgy but with developing Fruity Flavours. I find Malt, Vanilla, Toffee, light Caramel, Grass, Floral Soap, Pear, Apple, Berries, Fresh - and Dried Herbs, light Oak, Lemon, Ginger and Pepper. The Alcohol is quite noticeable but it appears to me it will nicely integrate over time.
Finish: Short, Fruity and a little Rough and Sugary Sweet with a light Bitterness towards the end. I find Malt, Buttered Toast, light Toffee, light Caramel, light Oak, Grass, Herbs, Alcohol, Spices like Pepper, Ginger and Cardamom and Fruity Flavours like Red Grapes, Red Berries, Green Apples and Pears.
Tomatin
The Tomatin Distillery was founded in 1897 and is located close to the A9 Motorway, halfway between Aviemore and Inverness. Over the years it grew very fast and today it has one the largest production capacities in the industry, although the distillery is currently not producing at full capacity. It is owned by the Japanese Takara Shuzo and Okura Group. A large part of the production (80%) goes into blends like Antiquary and Talisman. Lately the distillery is making an effort to promote its Single Malts. The Tomatin Cask Sample I'm tasting today was distilled on the 7th of February 2008. It matures in an Ex- Sherry Puncheon with Cask # 900042. It is likely to be bottled around 2024.
Drinking Experience Neat: Young, a little Edgy but Fruity and Promising.
Conclusion: The Tomatin 2008 is still a relatively Young whisky but Cask and Spirit seem to like each other. I get some nice developing Fruity Flavours and the Spices are not just Hot but also well defined. The overall impression is that of a Light, Smooth, Fruity and mildly Spicy Spirit that will likely turn out to be a delightful Summer Dram in 8 years or so!
Final Note: I only score bottled Whiskies.
Jan van den Ende May 2, 2016
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