Miltonduff 40 Years Old 1982 Cask #6126 (Murray McDavid)

Murray McDavid, founded in 1996 by the team that revived Bruichladdich, bottles this 40 Year Old in its Mission Gold range, a 1982 vintage from ex-Bourbon cask 6126, a tiny outturn of 51 bottles. Miltonduff, the floral Speyside distilled where Pluscarden Abbey's old meal mill once stood, long a heart of Ballantine's.

Forty years in ex-Bourbon pushed the soft, floral character to a fragile, ethereal depth, long oxidation and esters bringing beeswax, sandalwood and soft tropical fruit. The humid Speyside warehouse let alcohol leave faster than water, easing the strength down.

At 43.6% it shows deep mature orchard fruit and vanilla, undiluted. A 1982 Mission Gold 40.