Scotland, Speyside: Single malt whisky through the producing distilleries: history, making, production and tasting notes

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Speyside:

Dufftown

Description of the whisky

The distillery

Dufftown distillery
Dufftown
Banffshire AB55 4BR
+44 1340 820224

Owner: United Distillers & Vintners (Diageo

Creation date : 1896

The whisky boom of the 1890's suggested Peter MacKenzie and Richard Stackpole to build another distillery in Dufftown. After several years work and a agreement with John Symon owner of mills in the Dufftown area, the new Dufftown distillery was born on 11 November 1896. In those times, the barley grew in the Pittyvaich farm, also belonging to Symon.
The first commercial results arrived just one week later, with the selling of 9 first hogsheads.
From 1898, Peter MacKenzie was active in the blending market as well, and his first steps were succesful in this business. The American market represented nice resources for him, untill the prohibition in the early 1920's.
MacKenzie was forced to sell Dufftown, along with Blair Athol which he owned too, to Arthur K. Bell.
The economic situation of the distillery enhanced soon and the production level resumed quickly. 1941 was a desastrous year, and not only for the world of whisky. The shortage in raw material forced the distillery to close, just like many others.
But as soon as 1947, the production resumed to its level before WWII. Production was doubled in 1968. BUt this was not yet enough to satisfy the demand, and 2 more stills were added in 1797 and 1980.
Arthur Bell Company was purchased by Guiness Plc in 1985, and the latter was absorbed by DCL which would become UDV Diageo a few years later.
Dufftown is the largest distillery belonging to Diageo.
The whisky is mainly intended for blend: Bell's, Islander, Dewar's White Label and Johnnie Walker and is available as single malt at some independent bottlers.

The whisky

List of the bottles

Description of the distillery

	Dufftown
	whisky
O.B.	Fauna & Flora, 15 years	17 1/2

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Dufftown 15 years Fauna&Flora
Age	15 years
Alcohol	43°
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

Nose: A real nut-bowl aroma: almond, hazelnut and some creamy brazil, as well as a hint of marzipan and wholemeal maltiness. In time a toffee note. Mid-weight.
Palate: Lovely weight and feel with a spicy nuttiness. Softens as it moves in the mouth.
Finish: Nutty with decent length.
Overall: A good, mid-weight nutty style. (Dave Broom)

The nose is sweet and spicy at the time, with nice peppery notes ans interesting hints of hazelnut. In the mouth, a kind of bitterness and a touch of acidity, which disappears quickly, to make room to the sweetness of almonds. The finish is marked by spices, pepper, and the hazelnut remains quite present.

The nose is both fruity and marked by cereals. Some hints of fresh bread mixed with exotic fruit notes. In the palate the impression is quite linear, and the cereal notes dominate. It is obvious that this bottle should have been better if the whisky had some percent alcohol more. This would probably have helped some aromas to develop nicer. The finish is short and without special interest.

Speyside

The Speyside area is situated at the North of the Cairngorm mountain and goes to the Moray firth. It is delimited by two rivers: the Findhorn at the West side and the Deveron on the East side.
The area is named after the river Spey. Most of the distilleries take their water in one of its affluents; the Fiddich, the Livet or the Avon.
About sixty distilleries from Speyside are described on this site.

Click on the map for a list of the distilleries of the area, on the title for further information
about the Speyside area, and if you want to make an "alphabetical journey" through the area, please
click on one of the pagode roofs, according to the direction you want to follow

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Last update: Sunday, 17-Feb-2008 20:59:08 CET
Mon 12 05 2008, 11:24 - 61 visiteurs au cours de la dernière heure et 4 visiteurs sur le site en ce moment.
Copyright:Jean-Marie Putz (2003-2007)

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