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

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Speyside:

Miltonduff

Description of the whisky

The distillery

Miltonduff Distillery
Miltonduff, Elgin
Morayshire IV30 3TQ
+44 1343 547 433

Owner: Pernod-Ricard

Creation date 1824

The distillery is situated on the site of the old Pluscarden abbey who owned a brewery and probably a distillery too as soon as in the 13th century. The recent history of the distillery is not very good known, but is seems that Miltonduff has been founded in 1824 by Bain and Peary, and sold to William Stuart, in those days co-owner of the Highland Park distillery.
The end of the 19th century is characterized by a boom followed by a severe recession in the world of whisky, and Miltonduff did not escape to the movement. Important alteration works have been conducted and a new mash-house and still house have been build in 1896.
The consequences of the recession are not well known, and it is difficult to be sure if the distillery had to close down. Anyway it has been purchased in 1936 by Hiram Walker and is currently part of the Allied Distillers Ltd group. The distillery has been acquired together with Glenburgie.
The new owner made some alteration works, and installed two Lomond Stills in 1964 in addition to the existing stills. This Lomond stills have been used up to 1981 and produces the Mosstowie whisky.
A little part of the production is marketed as single malt by the Elgin's independent bottler Gordon & McPhail. 50% is sold to blenders, and the remaining part is used in the blends of the group: Ballantine's, Teachers and Old Smuggler.

The whisky

List of the bottles

Description of the distillery

	Miltonduff
	whisky
Dewar Rattray	Cask Collection	18 1/2
Scott's Selection	Scott's Selection 1987	18
Signatory	Mosstowie Vintage 1976 (Signatory)	17 2/3

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Mosstowie Vintage 1976
Age	21 years
Alcohol	55,7°
Particularity	Cask Strength
Bottler	Signatory
Price/litre

The nose is strongly marked by citrus fruits. A slightly acid touch, on a barley background. Despite the strong degree of alcohol, the whole is relatively sweet and rather pleasant.. It misses some roundness, which is typical for the whiskies of the area, but this bottle remains a very good bottle. It seems to be very difficult to find outside UK. The finish is relatively long and pleasant.

The second tasting just confirmed the first one. The slightly acid hints and the perfectly balanced and rather complex nose and palate are still present. However the pleasure is great, and this explains a better quotation than the first time.

A rather fresh nose, discretely marked by citrus fruits and cut grass. In the palate, a very nice complexity, going from citrus to slightly earthy hints through fruity hints (sloe) and chocolate hints, the whole on a pleasant woody background. A very interesting finish, lingering, where woody hints are mixed with the memory of malt on citrus background.

Miltonduff 26 years
Age	26 years
Alcohol	48 °
Bottler	Dewar Rattray
Price/litre

The nose presents nice hints of exotic fruits and a touch of underlying smoke. The nose seems to develop constantly and presents alternately slight acid notes (mango) and hints of cocoa. The smoke also tends to come and go. Very amazing nose, slightly tingling, but this does not hinder the pleasure. In the palate, this whisky is quite complex too, with a marked presence of exotic fruits, some refreshing acidity, coffee. The finish is lingering, and a kind of acidity remains in the palate, while a pleasant heat and cocoa feeling seems to invade the whole body.

What an amazing nose with malt notes where smooth fruit hints (sweet melon) seem to integrate methodically, surrounded by a light wax smell.
The palate develops first on quite a bitter register before the actual explosion of quite contrasted but complementary tastes. The mouth is even more spectacular than the nose was. Very complex, with clear woody hints which seem to come and go, just like waves and smoother notes of malted barley fill the holes. Fruity and acid tastes complete the whole cycle.
The finish is lingering and warm, with a slight prominence of acid fruits hints, but the light woody whiffs are present too. The finish is particularly warm even if not hindered at all by the alcohol, even if this presence is obvious,
Superb whisky.

Miltonduff 1987
Age	18 years
Alcohol	58.6 °
Embouteilleur	Scotts Selection
Prix/litre

The nose is clearly marked by ripe fruit (melon, pear). Very discrete nutty notes appear on the background. The palate is a nice mix of smooth, bitter and slightly acid notes. Really complex, the mouth is much more exciting than the nose was. Ripe fruit, hazelnuts, plums, etc all jumbled up together. The finish is remarkably long and warm. It offers quite contrasts compared to the mouth.

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 21:02:21 CET
Mon 12 05 2008, 06:34 - 32 visiteurs au cours de la dernière heure et 3 visiteurs sur le site en ce moment.
Copyright:Jean-Marie Putz (2003-2007)

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