House of Macduff Golden Cask Croftengea 2010 (7 year old) 57%%
Bourbon Cask CN238/ Dist: 2010 Btl: 2017/ Tasted: Mar 2020
The nose is forceful and phenolic with earthy, herbal peat. Some ‘toshan-esque strawberry notes appear along with sugar coated barley. Usual interesting, Loch Lomond nose!
The palate is full and oily, opening with more vanilla oak and honey. Lightly phenolic and peaty with a touch of strawberry and building earth and alcohol. Long, sooty, earthy and spicy with lingering bitter oak and mouth-watering citrus. Slightly gritty coffee’d after-taste. Wow! Sensory overload!
Water emphasises the granulated sugar and barley on the nose. Less peat but still phenolic and herbal. The palate is also less peaty and weird. Showing more oily barley, earth and honey. Vibrant spicy/ woody finish with lingering sooty peat and castor sugar. Weird but fun!
House of Macduff ‘Golden Cask – Reserve’ Croftenga 2010 (11 year old) 57.1%
Bourbon Hogshead/ Ref: CM274/ Dist: May 2010 Btl: May 2021/Tasted: Mar 2022
A lovely peppery and peaty nose. Classic Lomond still, high toned Turkish delight appears with plenty of raw, earthy peat. Hints of barley and honey add a balancing sweetness.
The palate is intense, earthy, ashy and peaty with hints of barley, strawberry Turkish delight, vanilla and honey. Masked finish with sweet barley and buttery vanilla oak.
House of Macduff ‘Golden Cask – Reserve’ Croftengea 2007 (15 year old) 58.9%
Bourbon Hogshead/ Ref: CM293/ Dist: Mar 2007 Btl: 2022/ Tasted: Sept 2022
Aromas of slightly astringent citrus, barley, green pepper, asparagus and sweet/ herbal peat. The peat becomes very ashy in character with a touch of manure for good measure! Late sweet barley, white fruit appear as the manurey/ loamy peat note intensifies.
The palate is earthy and ashy with hints of barley, apricot and white fruit. A touch of green pepper and citrus on the middle. Alcohol masks the finish but shows some astringency.
Water makes the nose fuller and weightier. The peat has become quite distant and it emphasises the sweet barley and lemon. Less manurey too with late sweet heather notes. The palate is also fuller and softer. Less peat and astringency with lemon, apricot and barley. long, earthy barley finish with a herbal/ heathery aftertaste. Lovely complexity and not too weird and wonderful!
Whisky According to Chris Whiskyman 