Carn Mor Miltonduff Tasting Notes

Carn Mor Celebration of the Cask Miltonduff 1998 (14 year old) 57.6%

Bourbon Cask 3611 Finished in ex-Trockenbeerenauslese cask

Dist: Mar 1998 Btl: Oct 2012/ Tasted: Mar 2015

Lightly herbal/ heathery aromas with coffee malt, dark, floral honey and a light winey, dried fruit sweetness. With time the herbal notes becomes slightly rye-like in character. It would appear that the finishing cask has really emphasised the herbal notes.

The palate is darker and maltier as well as being quite tannic, dry and woody. However some light honey and sweet-ish dried fruit counter. Very herbal on the middle – heather, camphor and thyme. Then the honey glazed baked fruit arrives in a serious rush! Long, stony and slightly alcoholic finish and a herbal after-taste. Extremely entertaining.

Water emphasises the cask finish on the nose, there is more winey dried fruit, juicy orange and honey, but less of the herbal character. A little sweeter with a little more of the oak vanillins showing. The palate is a little watery with a light granulated sugar note.

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Carn Mor Strictly Limited Miltonduff 2009 (8 year old) 46%

Bourbon Barrel/ Dist: 2009 Btl: 2018/ Tasted: May 2018

A fresh and gristy nose with slightly perfumed white fruit, honey, cereal and subtle, almost eucalyptus/ herbal note. The Bourbony oak comes to the fore with time along with some almost rye-like spice.

The palate is lightly oiled with honey and creamy, toffee’d oak. Hints of white fruit, herbal heather and rye-like spice. Good intensity with cereal and raw/ young rye-like notes on the finish.

Carn Mor Strictly Limited Miltonduff 2009 (9 year old) 46%

Bourbon Barrel/ Dist: 2009 Btl: 2019/ Tasted: Apr 2019

The nose is a little neutral but fresh and citric with hints of barley. The oak is very Bourbony (first fill?) and imparts astringent, rye-like notes, which become the focal point of the nose.

The palate is much the same as the nose. Neutral but fesh with a touch of barley. The oak is softer and less astringent but still very toasty and Bourbony. Medium length with a herbal, young rye finish.

Carn Mor Strictly Limited Miltonduff 2011 (10 year old) 47.5%

Bourbon Barrel/ Dist: 2011 Btl: 2021/ Tasted: Sept 2021

The nose is herbal, citric and barley’d with a touch of linseed oil and vanilla. With time the tannins appear along with a touch of gooseberry and what appears to be a slight fusel/ wheat-a-bix note. It has a very natural character but it would probably have benifited from a couple more years in the cask.

The palate opens with sweet barley and soil. There’s a fleeting honeyed note before the earthy barley and slightly musty soil notes and tannins come through. Beneath is some subdued, oily, edgy fruit. Short and slightly spirity finish with raw cereal and nascent oak. Yep, it could have done with more time!

Carn Mor Strictly Limited Miltonduff 2009 (12 year old) 47.5%

Oloroso Sherry Butt/ Btl: 2022/ Tasted: May 2022

The nose is quite sharp and citric with some relatively subtle herbal sherried dried fruit, oily spirit character and a touch of toasty oak. The herbal notes really kick in with time and give it a sort of Langatun-esque feel. Late coffee’d spice.

The palate is fairly straightforward with softly spiced dried fruit and hints of coffee, chocolate and citrus. The alcohol keeps the sweetness in check. Very spicy finish with ginger, raisin and sultanas in the finish. Overall, the nose is more evocative and complex

Carn Mor Strictly Limited Miltonduff 1994 (20 year old) 46%

Bourbon Hogshead/ Dist: 1994 Btl: 2015/ Tasted: Nov 2015

Very mature and straw-like aromas with apricot, white fruit, chunky vanilla, butter and subtle herbal/ heather. Hints of white liquorice and fragrant barley appear with time along with some malt and baked fruit.

The palate displays more of the toffee’d oak and is thus less fruity and a little dampened.. However it’s pleasantly spice with hints of barley, apricot and straw. Medium length with hints of bitter spice, aniseed and slightly drying tannins. Lovely buttery oak after-taste.

Mackillop’s Choice Miltonduff Tasting Notes

Mackillops Choice Miltonduff 1990 (23 year old) 42.5%

Bourbon Cask 9735/ Dist: Jun1990 Btl: Mar 2014/ Tasted: May 2014

Very mature, dark aromas of earth and malty with hints of burnt heather, baked fruit, scrub and butter-toffee. Lightly nutty with a touch of sweet liquorice.

The palate is very buttery with sweet toffee and more butter! Hints of malt and baked fruit begin to emerge but the buttery, sweet oak dominates. Good length with a slight citrus intimation but the oak holds until the end.

Hunter Laing Miltonduff Tasting Notes

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Miltonduff 1995 (18 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon Barrel/ Code: OMC2334/ HL10120

Dist: Feb 1995 Btl: Oct 2013/ Tasted: Nov 2013

Sweet and fragrant aromas of rich, toffee coated shortcake and barley along with hints of malty, stewed fruit plus hints of green fruit and citrus.

Sweet and lightly oiled, opening with the toffee coated shortcake, citrus, vanilla and baked, malty fruit. Plenty of tart but drying citrus notes come through and make the finish quite austere. Lightly floral, rose Turkish delight notes on the after-taste.

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Miltonduff 1995 (20 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OMC2457/ HL11205

Dist: Feb 1995 Btl: Feb 2015/ Tasted: Mar 2015

A full, malty nose of baked fruit, dried thyme and old herbal rye-like notes. The spices have a slight cardboardy edge to them and to be honest it feels a little too long in the tooth. However some light honey adds a little sweetness but its hanging on by its finger tips!

The palate opens with straw-like white fruit and apricot. The fruit isn’t as baked in character as the nose would suggest and has a pleasant sweetness. Very mineral on the middle and the finish is quite austere as the alcohol joins in. Lingering dried herbal and barley notes with a touch of mature honey. A better palate than nose.

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Miltonduff 1995 (20 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OMC2465/ HL11234

Dist: Feb 1995 Btl: Feb 2015/ Tasted: Apr 2018

Deep and very honeyed with sawdusty oak, heather and subtle lime notes. The aromas become slightly tropical with apricot, honeydew melon along with some grippy spice, burnt wood, earth and malt. Stunning late Cognac-esque dried apple fruit.

The palate opens with the soft, mature vanilla oak and hints of straw-like barley. Subtle notes of honey and heather appear with the Cognac-eque dried fruit. Very honeyed and subtly tropical on the middle. Intense, spicy marzipan and dried fruit finish. Incredibly long and very impressive!

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Miltonduff 1995 (21 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ 

Code: OMC2640/ HL13271

Dist: Apr 1995 Btl: Feb 2017/ Tasted: Mar 2017

Lovely, mature, duty American oak aromas with crumbly spice and honey. Hints of cereal, heather appear, but that honey note has becomes incredibly luscious. With time the oak notes become increasingly vanilla’d and eventually the focal point.

The palate opens with the creamy oak, followed by barley, honey and grippier, drier spices (cinnamon and nutmeg). The developing citrus and alcohol balance and leave a lightly oiled finish with lingering sweet oak, barley and sweeter/ softer spice notes.

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Miltonduff 1995 (23 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon Barrel/ Code: OMC2792/ HL15138

Dist: Feb 1995 Btl: May 2018/ Tasted: Jul 2018

A lovely mature nose of sawdusty oak with hints of vanilla, lime, barley, apricot and subtle notes of heather and honeysuckle. With time the oak becomes a little charred in character but the balance is spot on!

The palate displays a little more toffee’d oak with honey, white fruit, barley and honeysuckle. It unwinds quite slowly to reveal a malt of subtly and elegance, although the intensity builds well. Pleasantly heathery and spicy on the middle. Long and sawdusty with lingering mature fruit and honeysuckle.

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Miltonduff 1994 (25 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OMC2893/ HL16644

Dist:1994 Btl: May 2019/ Tasted: Jun 2019

A robust and quite oaky nose displaying plenty of mature sawdusty oak and a touch of vanilla. Hints of heather, apple, honey, menthol, marzipan and oily barley appear and the oak becomes quite toasty. Although the nose is very oak centric, it’s really sexy!

The palate is a little fresher with apple, apricot, charred and dusty oak and a touch of toffee and vanilla. Lightly heathery and herbal on the middle which builds well as does the honey and wood spice. Wonderfully soft and juicy with the alcohol keeping the freshness going. Long with marzipan coated apple, kiwi, lime and apricot on the finish as the spirit finally breaks free from the oak. Stunning heathery and honeyed after-taste.

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Miltonduff 1990 (29 year old) 50%

Bourbon/ Code: OMC2938

Dist: Mar 1990 Btl: 2019/ Tasted: Dec 2019

Aromas of roasted malt, charred oak and toasty oak. Very herbal and heathery with rye-like herbal notes too. Subtly mineral but the oak develops with toffee and sweet Bourbony notes.

The palate is a little fresher to begin with, but the charred oak, burnt toffee and malt move in fairly quickly. Oily, heathery, slightly edgy middle with building lime and gooseberry which counteracts the malt and oak. Very citric and slightly hot finish with lingering citrus, herbal rye and gritty/ chocolaty tannins. Again it’s a pleasant malt but I’m note sure it’s worth £159.

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Hunter Laing Hepburns Choice Miltonduff 2007 (7 year old) 46%

Code: HEP0028/ Dist: May 2007 Btl: June 2014/ Tasted: July 2014

Intense grainy herbal rye-like nose with earth, spice and creamy bourbon oak. Incredibly herbal, with a serious edgy vitality. With time hints of oily baked rhubarb and treacle emerge.

The palate is just as edgy as the nose. A little more toffee’d. Lightly toasted with some spicy drying tannins. A light creaminess balances and the young herbal rye-like notes come through. Quite a mouth-watering finish with a touch of treacle and dark chocolate.

Hunter Laing Hepburns Choice Miltonduff 2009 (7 year old) 46%

Bourbon/ Sherry Finished

Code: HEP0238/ Dist: Apr 2009 Btl: 2016/ Tasted: Dec 2016

Aromas of salted marzipan with hints of barley, white fruit, heather and bracken. Very subtly sherried/ nutty notes and a late hint of cereal.

The palate is edgy and a little rough at the edges. Barley, heather, toffee, nuts and slightly industrial notes, which build on the middle. Short and nutty with a touch of drying tannin and barley husks.

Hunter Laing Hepburns Choice Miltonduff 2009 (7 year old) 46%

Sherry Hogshead Finished/ Code: HEP0280/ Dist: Sept 2009 Btl: 2017/ Tasted: Dec 2017

Aromas of edgy, herbal, pulped fruit with hints of barley. A little rough at the edges with a touch of burnt caramel.

Youthful and slightly feinty with pulped Tequilla-like white fruit and slightly acerbic notes. Hints of barley but not enough sweetness. Good, pulped fruit finish

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Hunter Laing Distillers Art Miltonduff 1994 (22 year old) 48%

Bourbon/ Code: ART0074/ Dist: Apr 1994 Btl: Aug 2016?/ Tasted: Sept 2016

Chunky vanilla oak and coconut on the nose. It has an almost grain spirit-like quality with subtle dried fruit notes. Hints of heather, barley and rose petals appear but the oak becomes quite dominant.

The palate is full and oaky with vanilla and coconut. Hints of slightly oxidised fruit come through along with a touch of heather and grass. But just like the nose the oak is very dominating, although it’s pleasantly mature. Long with a mature, spicy grainy, dried fruit finish.

Miltonduff Distillery Tasting Notes

Chivas Brothers Cask Strength Edition Miltonduff 1997 (14 year old) 58.3%

Bourbon – Batch No MD 14 003/ Dist: 1997 Btl: 2012/ Tasted: Mar 2013

An ever so slightly high toned nose. Extremely perfumed as well as being quite gristy and herbal. With time it becomes quite lively with some hints of citrus, juniper and bung cloth emerging. Interesting! 

The palate is rather edgy and citrusy, starting with some pleasantly gristy barley and a touch of earth before those heavy, white chocolate laced oils start rolling! The alcohol masks the finish to certain degree but some herbal and wood notes show in the finish. 

With water the nose is still fairly fresh and perfumed, so not much change there! The palate has become quite granity and some creamy oak has been released. A little fuller now the oak has shown its hand with a long barley and lightly honeyed finish. Again quite interesting!

 

Douglas McGibbon Miltonduff Tasting Notes

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Miltonduff 2005 (7 year old) 46%

Sherry/ Code: PRV0948/ DMG9239

Dist: Nov 2005 Btl: Dec 2012/ Tasted: Jan 2013

For a sherry casked whisky it’s very Bourbon-esque to begin with a distinctly corn like sweetness followed by some lightly dried fruit, spice and sherry wood with a suggestion of heather and herbs. Still very buttery though.

Quite sweet and sugared with oily vanilla and rich sugar coated dried fruit, heather and a touch of violets. The oils build pleasantly along with the raisinated fruit and chocolate orange notes. Good spicy finish with a light vanilla oak and leather note.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Miltonduff 2005 (8 year old) 46%

Refill Puncheon/ Code: PRV1115/ 10405

Dist: Nov 2005 Btl: Jul 2014/ Tasted: Nov 2014

The nose is initially a little neutral and spirity with young barley and a touch of honey along with some nutty, creamy oak. With time the American oak becomes the focal point and it fill out a bit with a little herbal rye-like note emerging.

The palate is dense but oak dominated with toasty vanilla along with light, dusty tannins and spice. Long, with that herbal rye-like note coming through. I wonder if this has been matured in a first fill ex-rye whisky cask.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Mortlach 2006 (8 year old) 46%

Bourbon/ Code: PRV1140/ Dist: Nov 2006 Btl: July 2015/ Tasted: Aug 2015

The nose opens with soft barley and slightly sour baked fruit. Lightly malty with developing herbal notes and a touch of granulated sugar.

The palate is quite citric with hints of barley, banana, baked fruit and granulated sugar. Good length with the citrus returning and finishing with a light maltiness.

Douglas Laing Miltonduff Tasting Notes

Douglas Laing Old Particular Miltonduff 2000 (15 year old) 48.4%

Bourbon/ Code: OLD0233/ Dist: July 2000 Btl: Aug 2015/ Tasted: Sept 2015

A deep, fragrant and very pleasant nose of honey, barley, pollen and juicy vanilla oak. Lightly herbal with a touch of camphor, heather and sweet fruit.

The toffee’d oak shows first, followed by heather honey, barley and soft spice. A lovely, mouth-filling middle and a long, barley and herbal finish with lingering heather , sweet honey and very gentle smoke

Douglas Laing Old Particular Miltonduff 1996 (17 year old) 48.4%

Bourbon/ Code: OLP0032/ Dist: Mar 1996 Btl: Aug 2013/ Tasted: Sept 2013

A slightly fresh, herbal nose with baked fruit, black pepper. The aromas hint at some heavier oils beneath but it remains relatively light and herbal.

The palate is a little broader with more caramel/ toffee’d oak showing. Along with some malt and baked fruit. Medium length with an earthy, spicy, peppery finish, which is a little on the hot side.

Douglas Laing Old Particular Miltonduff 1994 (20 year old) 51.5%

Code: OLD0144/ Dist: Apr 1994 Btl: Sept 2014/ Tasted: Oct 2014

Aromas of oily toffee apple, oily marzipan, malt, burnt wood and heather honey. Quite subtle but pleasantly deep with a developing perfumed/ floral character

Soft barley and apricot led palate with unsweetened pineapple, malt and treacle toffee. It becomes very malt on the middle with hints of scrubby heather. Very long and gently mouth-watering finish with warming spice, honey and vanilla.

Douglas Laing Old Particular Miltonduff 1992 (22 year old) 51.5%

Sherry/ Code: OLD0171/ Dist: July 1992 Btl: Feb 2015/ Tasted: Mar 2015

Dusty, mature sherry wood aromas with cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg and caramelised brown sugar, mocha, raisinated dried fruit and a hint of violet.

A lovely palate of oxidised, Armagnac-esque raisin, prune and walnut with cinnamon, ginger and brown sugar. Delicious earthy-spice middle and a long dark fruit, treacle and dry spice finish.

Douglas Laing Old Particular Miltonduff 1994 (23 year old) 50.6%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ CODE: OLD0550/ DL12200

Dist: Apr 1994 Btl: Nov 2017/ Tasted: Dec 2017

The nose is quite mature with herbal honey, fern, nettle, heather, liquorice root and stewed fruit. The wonderfully aromatic oak emerges with time along with a touch of malt and creamy vanilla.

The palate is herbal and malty with heather, violets, bracken and subtly creamy oak. Hints of stewed fruit and parma violets come through on the middle and the oak becomes pleasantly sawdusty. Long and refreshingly citric with lingering barley, spice and menthol.

 

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Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Miltonduff 1990 (21 year old) 50%

Bourbon/ Code: OMC2110/ Dist: May 1990 Btl: Dec 2011/ Tasted: Dec 2011

The nose opens with a complex plethora of wood notes (cedar, pine). Seriously robust and full of macerated citrus, stewed apple, mature honey, clove, cinnamon and a smidge of dried fruit as well. Stunningly deep and complex. With time the oak takes on that beautiful aged, sawdusty character and a slightly mentholated camphor note appears.

The palate is loaded with lightly coffee accented spices, malt extract. Like the nose it is very full and delightfully sugar coated. The middle is slightly honeyed and bursting with dried fruit. The oak is immaculately well behaved and adds a mature toasted vanilla note. Superbly balanced and very long with some heather-honey liberally coating the mouth along with those delightful spices.

 

Douglas Laing Provenance Miltonduff 2009 (7 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV1237/ DL11530

Dist: Jul 2009 Btl: Nov 2016/ Tasted: Feb 2017

The aromas are slightly ascetic with hard barley and hints of baked fruit and manure.

The palate is feinty and hard with baked fruit, barley and subtle caramel. Short and hard with bitter spice in the finish.

Ian MacLeod Miltonduff Tasting Notes

Ian MacLeod Dun Bheagan Miltonduff 1987 (23 year old) 50%

Sherry cask 30057 + 63/ Dist: 1987 Btl: 2011/ Tasted: July 2011

The nose opens with mentholated, slightly herbal sherry notes. Quite oily with some dense fruit and barley. A touch muted by those oils but there is some pleasant earthy/ honeyed moments. 

The palate is quite sweet and sugary. Mellow with straightforward sherried fruit. Spicy and intense with the alcohol coming through on the finish along with the grassy/ leafy/ menthol notes. In conclusion: A bit unexciting to be honest!

Single Malts Direct Miltonduff Tasting Notes

Single Malts Direct ‘Whiskies of Scotland’ Miltonduff 1999 (12 year old) 53.4%

Bourbon/ Dist: 1999 Btl: 2011/ Tasted: July 2011

A very intensely alcoholic nose with hints of manure. There maybe some crystallised fruit beneath along with some sweet oak. Water certainly makes the nose more enjoyable and transforms it into an elegant, grassy, sugar coated fruit melange.

The palate is dry and tannic. The tannins seem quite green. It’s also a touch fizzy – sherbet like citrus. Quite oily with an eye watering degree of alcohol. Dilution makes it quite watery and confected. Short and sugary with an earthy after taste. Water brings out some pepper notes. In conclusion: A lovely nose, but the palate is quite dull and innocuous.

Berry Bros Miltonduff Tasting Notes

Berry Bros & Rudd ‘Berrys’ Own Selection’ Miltonduff 1998 (12 year old) 57%

Bourbon/ Dist: 1998 Btl: 2010/ Tasted: July 2011

A very intense and alcoholic nose with some leafiness, manure, heather and a touch of malt. A drop of water really releases the aromas – Beautiful and grassy now with hints of white liquorice and gentle citrus fruit. 

Quite sweet on the palate, yet balanced by the piquant alcohol. Slightly leafy with some malt and a hint of manure. Water doesn’t do much for the sweetness and brings out a touch of burnt caramel. Quite soft now but less expressive. A good length with some buttery oak and a lovely aftertaste, redolent of wood spices and liquorice. With water the caramel is a tad intrusive.

James MacArthur Miltonduff Tasting Notes

James MacArthur ‘Old Masters Cask Strength Selection’ Miltonduff 1996 (13 year) 57.2%

Bourbon 5563/ Dist: 1996 Btl: 2009/ Tasted: July 2009

Quiet peated and fishy. Very similar to the James MacArthur Dalmore, which is again quiet surprising. There is some honeyed fruit and a hint of marc. This could almost be anIslay. The palate is quiet oily with a marc like note to begin. It opens into an earthy middle with a touch of peat. Quiet young and a bit one dimensional with the alcohol dominating. 

A drop of water however brings out the complexity. It becomes very oily with lanolin, some light coffee and some rich, slightly perfumed orange fruit joining the peat and fishy notes. The marc like note has disappeared and it’s quiet complex in a weird un-miltonduff kind of way.