Macduff 1967 35 YO Old & Rare Platinum Selection
Macduff 1967 35 YO Old & Rare Platinum Selection, 53,8 %
Please indulge me today. I do try to not focus too much on old and obscure bottlings on the blog, but from time to time it is fun to just nerd out completely. The whisky I am presenting today is one of the very best I have had for years, and I just have to share the experience.
The whisky in question is the Macduff 1967 35 YO Old & Rare Platinum Selection from Douglas Laing. The cask used is unspecified, but it is very obviously a sherry cask. It is a deep, golden mahogany in color, and the nose just screams 'sherry heaven'! This is a single cask release, with an outturn of 528 bottles. It was distilled in 1967 and bottled in 2003.
Macduff Distillery is owned by John Dewar & Sons Ltd (Bacardi), and was founded as recently as 1962. They are located in Banff, in the Highland region. They mainly produce for the blends Dewar's and William Lawson's. The single malt they release themselves is branded with the name Glen Deveron, with a core range of 12, 18 and 25 year old. In 2015 they have plans to revamp and relaunch their single malt expressions, and they will relaunch under the new brand The Deveron.
But let's get back to my dream date with this independent bottling distilled in 1967...
Nose (24/25): Christmas time is here! Lovely, deep and rich sherry notes. Cloves, mulled wine, dried fruits, raisins, dates, apricots. I also detect faint notes of soft leather and polished mahogany wood. Very rich and well-rounded.
Taste (23/25): Super smooth, like velvet draped over my taste buds. Rich and full-bodied. Delightful sherry notes, dried fruits, slight oaky dryness. Caramel, ginger flavored chocolate and honey add to a dessert-like delight.
Finish (24/25): Tiny explosions of chili and pepper gives a spicy touch to the finish, but this does in no way diminish the fruity sweetness. A hint of mint or eucalyptus towards the end adds a refreshing touch. Lingering and warm finish.
Balance (24/25): What a perfect treat! Wish I had the foresight (and money) back in 2003 to buy a few bottles of this whisky. Alas, now I can only dream - sweet dreams.
Score (95/100)
Sláinte! - Thomas
