
September 4, 2020

Special Releases Special, today Dufftown

I’ve been having a little trouble with Dufftown lately, but that may have been me (and because of some slightly obnoxious sherry). Let’s let the owners have their say, and first find a proper sparring partner of a similar age and cask profile at the indies…

Dufftown 1999/2018 (54.5%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice, first fill bourbon, 163 bottles)

This is ex-bourbon, we should be safe… Colour: straw. Nose: very gentle, on peach skin and cornflakes, with some honeycomb, mirabelle tarte and orange blossom water in the background. Reminds me of oriental pastries, Turkish delights, angel hair and such. It’s even a little Balvenie-y, I would say. With water: perhaps a little less ‘oriental’ (for lack of a better term) and more on the usual vanilla, barley, cake, fresh bread… Mouth (neat): terrifyingly Balvenie-y (not that that’s really terrifying), on a lot of ripe mirabelles, honeys, bergamots, and just a touch of varnish that makes things a bit messy. Just a bit. With water: a soapy touch coming out, the rest is fine, on shortbread and apple pie. Tends to lose focus, I would say. Finish: medium, good, fruity again, the aftertaste is a tad less interesting. Grassy. Comments: it’s had its moments in the light but I would say the make’s a little too mundane to catch a lot of attention and it’s not the very best friend of H2O.
SGP:551 - 80 points.

The Singleton (of Dufftown) 17 yo 2002/2020 (55.1%, OB, Special Releases 2020, refill American oak hogshead)

The Singleton (of Dufftown) 17 yo 2002/2020 (55.1%, OB, Special Releases 2020, refill American oak hogshead)
I’m not sure I’ll ever fully understand the whole concept behind those ‘Singletons’, a problem that already started with the early Auchroisks, it’s almost as if an Ottoman scientist was in charge of the marketing at the very beginning. Must be me, now I hope we’ll find some good quality Turkish delights in this one, which I love. Ha-ha. Colour: straw. Nose: not dissimilar, but it’s got less oak, and consequently, more garden fruits, gooseberries, kiwis, some rhubarb, certainly some very lime-y IPA beer, hops, touches of fresh ginger, bamboo shoots, white currants… It’s pretty sauvignony. With water: gentle and very brioche-y. Chardonnay this time, twenty-year-old Champagne, biscuits, pear cake… Any citrus is gone for good, but more grass is appearing. Mouth (neat): well, it’s very good, even tarter than expected, fresher, pretty much on grapefruits and lemon marmalade, lemongrass – and isn’t it funny that I’m finding bamboo shoots on the palate too? (no it isn’t, S.) With water: williams pears, cider, quince jelly… Citrus gone again. That’s really intriguing that water would erase any citrus. Any chemists in the room? Ale. Finish: medium, maltier, hoppy and cake-y. Comments: this one wasn’t too easy to grasp, but that was part of its charms.
SGP:561 - 85 points.

Check the index of all Dufftown we've tasted so far