Littlemill 12 Years Old

The 12 Year Old was the senior member of Littlemill's old core range, four more years over the 8 and a fuller expression of the house style. It comes from a distillery founded in 1772 and lost for good after a 2004 fire, which makes bottlings like this a finite link to the place.

Littlemill's clear wort and slow distillation through columned stills built a light, ester-laden spirit. Twelve years in ex-Bourbon let the gentle American oak give up its vanillin and oak lactones, and slow oxidation drew the spirit toward soft orchard fruit.

At 40% it shows that fruit with hay, honey and a fragrant, malty lift, vanilla and a touch of coconut from the cask beneath. The classic 12, from a distillery that no longer exists.