Dufftown 1997 Review

Country: Scotland

Brand: Dufftown 1997

Bottled by: Gordon & MacPhail, Elgin, Scotland - Connoisseurs Choice

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Region: Speyside

Age: 12 Years (Distilled in 1997 and bottled in 2009)

ABV: 43%

Date: 04/11/2012

Colour: Pale Gold

Nose: Soft. Typical Fruity and Floral Speyside Nose with Malt, Oak, Vanilla, Heather, Honey and Sherry. There is some Alcohol there but it's not aggressive.

Taste: Fruity although I find it difficult to identify the individual Fruit flavours. Plums and Pineapple perhaps. I also find Malt, Honey, Heather, Sherry, Oak, Vanilla, Spices (Pepper and Cinnamon) and Nuts. Traces of Cigar Ashes. Nicely balanced.

Finish: Relatively short, clean and medium dry with Malt, Pepper, Heather and Licorice.

I added a few drops of Water and you get extra Malt, Fruit, Butter, Heather and Honey on the Nose and on the Palate. The Finish does not alter significantly. Still, there's room to play with a couple of drops.

Rating:  84.5 

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 22- Finish: 20- Overall: 21

General Remarks: The Dufftown Distillery (Diageo Group) started production in 1896 and is one of today's seven whisky distilleries in the city of Dufftown (Moray). The distillery has 6 stills that mainly produce for the Bells Blend. Gordon and MacPhail is an Independent Bottler from Elgin. In the Mid-Sixties the company introduced the Connoisseurs Range with many whiskies that otherwise would not have been available as Single Malts. Refill Sherry Hogsheads were used to mature this Dufftown Expression. I don't believe this whisky contains E-150. If so, than only a little bit.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: A well-crafted Speysider. The Nose is soft, Malty, Floral and Fruity. The balanced Palate has Malt, Sherry, Spices and a nice hint of Ashes. The Finish is clean and medium dry. The Dufftown 1997 is not an earth-shattering dram but it's utterly enjoyable, specially if you like this type of Speyside Whisky.

Jan van den Ende                                                                   November 2012