Our Malt of the Month for October – the Miltonduff 10 Year Old from our old friends Gordon & MacPhail.
Appearance: Light bronze, amber hue
Nose: The aromas are of a herb garden growing tomatoes, coriander, tarragon, basil.
Pallet: The first taste is similar to the smell, lovely and herbaceous, then a sweetness comes through from the sherry casks, dried fruits and berry, then there is a rich malty character that follows.
Finish: The finish reverts back to the spring time savoury herb garden, dry and delicious.
DISTILLERS NOTES
Miltonduff 10 Year Old
ABV: 43%
Bottle Size: 700ml
Region: Scotland
Peated: No
Nose without Water: Soft esters with fruity aromas – red apples – followed by sweet fudge notes.
Palate without Water: Cereal flavours with spicy and treacle notes.
Nose with Water: Fruity aromas – raisins – with fragrant heather and cereal notes.
Palate with Water: Sweet, fruity cereal flavours with a spicy edge accompanied by floral/freshly cut grass notes. Body Light and delicate.
Finish: Balanced; sweet and round.
ABOUT THE DISTILLERY
Situated six miles southwest of Elgin is Pluscarden Abbey. Initially a Priory, it was founded by King Alexander II in 1230. Miltonduff Distillery is said to be situated on the site of the Abbey’s meal mill, two miles from the Abbey. A stone from the original Abbey is retained at the distillery.
Originally an illicit distillery known as ‘Milton’, the passing of the excise act of 1823 (legalising and regulating the production whisky in Scotland) allowed Robert Bain and Andrew Peary to establish the Miltonduff Distillery as a legitimate concern in 1824. The new name for the distillery merged the name of the old, illegal distillery with the name of the original owners of the land – the Duffs.
All of the Miltonduff stills, three wash and three spirit, have the traditional, “onion” shape. They are approximately 15 foot high with the Lyne arm having a relatively steep drop at approximately 30°. The wash stills have a capacity of 18,000 litres and the spirit stills 17,500 litres. They are both charged with 17,000 litres. The wash distillation takes 5 hours and the spirit distillation 8 hours. The stills play their part in giving Miltonduff 10YO it’s desired character – flowery with hints of peat, heather and honey.
