Dufftown 16 Years Old 2008 Cask #07091 (BB&R)

The London house Berry Bros and Rudd bottled this Dufftown, a 16 year old, distilled in 2008, from cask 07091, bottled at 54.7%, one of 103 bottles. Dufftown is a nutty, spicy Speyside malt, for decades the heart of the Bell's blend. Its single malt has been sold as The Singleton of Dufftown since 2006, mainly in the UK and Europe.

Distilled for the nutty, malty character Dufftown is known for, the long ferment building a grassy, fruity character. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, oak lactones lending vanilla and a little coconut. Into oxidative maturity, slow air ingress builds fruity ethyl esters (apple and pear) and a nutty depth. A gentle maturation suits the smooth make, the nutty malt growing richer with time. Active wood frames the fruit without overwhelming the smooth Speyside spirit. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and coconut over the fruit.

At a hearty 54.7% it carries real weight. A malty, nutty sweetness, with a soft vanilla from the oak. The texture is smooth and creamy, the fruit lifted by vanilla. A long, malty finish carries an orchard fruit and a soft nut. This is Dufftown, a heart malt of the Bell's blend.