Daftmill Single Cask 12 Years Old 2009 (60.7%)

This official Daftmill, a 12 year old, from 2009, cask 024/2009, at 60.7%, 627 bottles in all. Daftmill was founded in 2005 by the Cuthbert brothers on their working farm near Cupar in Fife. Water comes from a private well on the farm, the spirit run through a single pair of onion shaped stills.

It was run through the distillery's small copper stills, giving the delicate, floral Lowland spirit. A sherry cask wrapped the delicate spirit in dried fruit and a nutty depth. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin settling into vanilla as ethyl esters lend a riper green apple and pear. The cool Lowland air gives a slow, even maturation in the farm dunnage warehouse. Long ageing turns the fresh lemon towards honey, apple and a soft spice. Each release is small and quickly allocated, prized by collectors of the new wave of Scotch.

At 60.7%, undiluted, it is deep and fruity. Pear, lemon and a soft honey, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. The mouthfeel is light, the fruit carried on a clean body. A soft, honeyed finish ends on lemon and green apple. This is a refined Lowland single malt from a Fife farm.