August 24, 2015

Some Glen Deveron and some Macduff

You’re right, Macduff and Glen Deveron are the same distillery. In fact, Glen Deveron’s the name the owners are using, and I have to say it’s quite big in France, where it’s rather positioned as a ‘budget’ malt in many supermarkets. So let’s first have the lighter Glen Deverons, and then a few indies bearing the name…? Right, Macduff (that’s cool, you are following me)…

Glen Deveron 15 yo (40%, OB, +/-2015)

This should go smoothly… Colour: gold. Nose: fresh, malty, with some honey, some caramel, apple pie, a touch of vanilla, a little marmalade, a little hay and ‘old tea box’, cereals, a little burnt butter… It’s malty, it’s simple, it’s easy. Mouth: starts a little cardboardy, with a little bitter caramel, then rather overripe apples, cake, marmalade and hints of cocoa powder. The body’s a little thin, and yet there’s something slightly rough. Strong black tea? Also roasted peanuts. Finish: medium. The cardboardy side is back, with roasted chestnuts, bitter grass, and tea. Marmalade again in the aftertaste. Comments: as they say, it’s loyal and honest malt whisky. SGP:441 - 77 points.

Glen Deveron 20 yo (40%, OB, Royal Burgh Collection, travel retail, 1l, +/-2015)

Colour: full gold. Nose: the buttery side that was in the 15 got bigger, and comes with whiffs of mint tea, as well as a metallic touch (grandma’s old tin boxes). Also walnut wine, some sherry, roasted nuts, and blood oranges. The whole’s fresh, if a little undemanding. Perhaps also a little wood smoke, but not too sure. Roasted malt, chicory. Mouth: we’re in very close territories after the 15. Tea and malt, roasted nuts, chocolate and something a little cardboardy, although the whole’s a little rounder and even oilier. But it remains light whisky. Raisins. Finish: medium, with this bitter leafiness again, more roasted nuts, and a touch of honey. Tea and oranges in the aftertaste. Earl grey! Comments: I think the low strength does a disservice to this otherwise pretty fine malt whisky. SGP:441 - 79 points.

Macduff 2000/2011 (59%, Jack Wiebers, Old Mining Collection, cask #5802, Sherry Cask)

This should be bigger. Colour: amber. Nose: full-blown sherry, with oranges, raisins, chocolate, coffee and tobacco. Very oloroso-ish! Touches of parsley and chicken soup, as well as a little milk chocolate. With water: Italian hazelnut liqueur! Extremely pleasant, soft, rounded sherry. Mouth (neat): very rich, a bit in the style of the older Macallan Cask Strength. Orange liqueurs, raisins, pipe tobacco, ginger, caraway, more chocolate… It’s big whisky but it’s balanced, and almost smooth. With water: the orangey side got louder. Adds freshness and ‘lightness’, even if this isn’t any light whisky. Finish: long, with some herbs now. The parsley is back. Tobacco. Comments: an excellent high-voltage smooth sherried drop. SGP:551 - 86 points.

Macduff 2000/2011 (59.8%, Svenska Eldvatten, first fill sherry butt, cask #5787)

This baby should be similar, we’ll try to keep this short… Colour: dark amber. Nose: well, the other 2000 was going more towards Macallan CS, while this one may rather be a ‘Glenfarclas’. A little earthier, more mentholy, with more tobacco, humus, mushrooms… Lovely! With water: more damp earth, mushrooms, fern… It’s a sherried forest. Mouth (neat): very rich, and yet fresh. More spices in this one, caraway, cloves, ginger, white pepper… Perhaps was the oak fresher? With water: almost perfect, with oranges kicking in. Good news, the spices did not become overly cinnamony – that would have happened. Finish: long, spicy, orangey. Orange blossom water with a lot of cloves. Comments: a light heavy one, so to speak. It was about time I tasted it. SGP:551 - 87 points.

While we’re at it…

Macduff 11 yo 2000/2011 (60%, Berry Bros & Rudd for The Whisky Barrel, cask #5774)

Most probably another sherry cask distilled on the same day. Colour: amber. Nose: this one’s mustier, and has got notes of almonds, maraschino, orange liqueurs… But the base is similar, chocolate, raisins, coffee, tobacco… With water: there, humus and fern. Mouth: we’re very close to the Svenska. Very very close. Aquavit, ginger, cloves, oranges, ginger, earth… With water: indeed, more Grand-Marnier, perhaps a little honey, plenty of sultanas for sure… Finish: long, honeyed, orangey, spicy. Comments: all these casks are very similar, obviously, as young sister casks can be. SGP:551 - 86 points.

Let’s drop first fill sherry!...

Macduff 14 yo 1997/2012 (61%, Anam Na H-Alba, refill sherry butt, cask # 5927, 170 bottles)

Macduff 14 yo 1997/2012 (61%, Anam Na H-Alba, refill sherry butt, cask # 5927, 170 bottles) Colour: white wine, so very refill ;-). Nose: almost no sherry, rather a malty, stone-y, and grassy profile, with whiffs of wet clothes and some chalk. It’s a bit unusual, I have to say, but it’s got some character. Also vanilla fudge, butterscotch and ripe plums, just as touches. With water: bizarre. Wet rocks, dogs (sorry) and grass. Gets very barleyish and mineral. Mouth (neat): young and fruitful, but with a bitterness that never stops growing. Lemons and lemon zests, grapefruit skin, not-too-ripe kiwis, lime, Schweppes… That’s all fun, but it’s not an easy one. Sharp. With water: it swims well, but gets a little medicinal. Bandages and lemon? Very obvious notes of green apples. Finish: long, all on apples, with a lemony touch. Golden delicious, there! Comments: a funny one. Loved the finish because I adore apples. SGP:561 - 83 points.

Oh and Cadenhead just bottled a Macduff as well, an older one…

Macduff 26 yo 1989//2015 (51%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, butt)

Colour: full gold. Nose: we’re at Starbuck’s around 7am. Café latte, roasted coffee beans, hot chocolate, pecan pie… and whiffs of ‘concrete after the rain’. Interesting and unusual. With water: charcoal, wood smoke, brownies, old iron pan, more concrete, a little gunpowder… Mouth (neat): very bacony. Very, very bacony. It’s unusual to find this much bacon in whisky! And chocolate, warm praline, fudge, shortbread straight from the baker’s, brioche, croissant… Really, this is a breakfast whisky. With water: old pu-her tea, earth, a touch of paraffin, tobacco, gunpowder… Finish: long, roasted, nutty. Have I mentioned croissants? Comments: there might ne a little sulphur, but it never gets in your way. It’s even an asset. SGP:561 - 87 points.

Check the index of all Macduff I've tasted so far