A wee duo, or perhaps is it a trio of Daftmill


July 29, 2025

A wee duo, or perhaps is it a trio of Daftmill

There’s this fantastic ‘Project 1927’ by James Eadie, which brings together six newmakes from some rather avant-garde young Scottish distilleries. Despite their modernity, all of them were keen to experiment with production techniques from the 1920s—yeasts, fermentation methods, and so on. Proof, if ever it were needed, that tradition can be forward-thinking, don’t you think?
Among these six distilleries is an ‘Unnamed Farm Distillery in the Heart of the Kingdom of Fife’, whose newmake we’ll be tasting today. And to round off the session in a way that’s perhaps a little coherent, we’ll also have two Daftmills.

Unnamed Farm Distillery in the Heart of the Kingdom of Fife 2023-2024/2024 (63.4%, James Eadie, Project 1927, spirit drink)

This one was distilled from homegrown Golden Promise barley, floor-malted on site and fermented for approx. 100 hours using brewer’s yeast. Colour: white. Nose: explosive indeed, far more estery than anticipated, with an immediate slap of green olive (a somewhat rare creature in the Kingdom of Fife) and copper polish. The intensely fermentary aspect is, of course, well to the fore as well, bringing thoughts of sourdough bread, but care must be taken as this is seriously potent stuff that could in no time incinerate our nostrils. With water: now we enter the world of small fruits, all either in the process of fermentation or recently caught in the act. Cherries, plums, raspberries, little berries of indeterminate origin, and even a glimmer of shochu. Mouth (neat): with due caution, pear eau-de-vie comes as no surprise, nor does the limoncello, but the damp earthiness, salty flashes and fresh woodland mushrooms are rather unexpected in a newmake. With water: this calls to mind wild cherry eau-de-vie as produced by the finest Alsatian distillers, such as Marcel Windholtz in Ribeauvillé. Which is to say, ‘they could bottle this as is’. Finish: long, now properly salty, though there can’t be a gram of actual sodium in the dram. Clearly, it’s a question of certain papillae being activated, presumably by ions or some such, but we’ll admit the chemistry of the palate is not quite our domain. Comments: yes, they could absolutely bottle this and I’m certain it would make smashing martinis. We shall test that theory forthwith this very evening.
SGP:662 - between 85 and 90 points (we don’t really score newmakes, after all).

Daftmill 2009/2025 (55%, OB for Aquavitae, bourbon cask, casks #03+055/2009, 362 bottles)

This is a ‘double single cask’, you understand. Oh, and he-ha, the Daftmill label does indeed specify that they are located ‘in the Heart of the Kingdom of Fife’, which surely cannot be mere coincidence. That said, several new distilleries now reside within the Kingdom of Fife but let us move on… Colour: pale gold. Nose: typically very taut, mineral, and uncompromisingly herbaceous, as though it had been infused with grapefruit peel, which suits us marvellously as we’re rather partial to such aromas. There’s also woodruff, lashings of it, along with a little lemon verbena. With water: virtually unchanged, save for the appearance of slate and chalk, both delightfully pulverised. Mouth (neat): splendidly pure and textural for an ex-bourbon, all vanilla, lemon, and exceedingly lively wee herbs, with the soaring elegance of the driest white wines. One might even say it’s ‘Sauvignoning’. With water: it takes a turn for the rootier, now evoking sweet gentian, celery stalk… Always a happy place in my book. Finish: long, pure, indefatigable yet never fatiguing (if that makes sense). A rather startling umami quality right at the end. Comments: it borders more on watchmaking than mere distilling, so precise it is.
SGP:661 - 90 points.

Please more of the same…

Daftmill 2011/2024 (56.3%, OB for the Milano Whisky Festival, first fill bourbon barrel, cask #094-98-99/2011, 615 bottles)

There’s also a first fill oloroso version from an earlier Milan festival, but let’s stay focused on the bourbon today… Colour: white wine. Nose: naturally it’s very close, though this one’s a tad cleaner, a touch fruitier, but everything else is near-identical. Let’s say we’ve moved from Sancerre’s Sauvignon to Chablis’ Chardonnay. With water: ah, a few faint petroly notes, but we soon return to a far more civilised lemon custard. Mouth (neat): rather fatty, even oily, with limoncello making a triumphant comeback (Italy, of course), along with a proper chalkiness. And it’s just so good, it’s frankly getting a little embarrassing. With water: touches of pine liqueur, orange blossom and a pinch of paprika, all layered over the classic chalk-vanilla-lemon-fresh bread combo. Finish: lovely, pure, and downright moreish. Another bottle that really ought to come with a warning label. Comments: absolutely superb, albeit with just a fraction less of the previous one’s surgical precision. Still flying very high indeed.
SGP: 661 - 89 points.

In any case, here’s hoping Daftmill has laid down a bit of that ‘James Eadie-style’ newmake for ageing! As freshwater anglers like to say, good things come to those who wait. We simply can’t wait…

(Merci, Martin and thanks to The Whisky Lodge)

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