Dufftown 13 Years Old 1999 (Connoisseurs Choice)

The Elgin house Gordon and MacPhail bottled this Dufftown, a 13 year old, distilled in 1999, bottled at 43%. Dufftown, owned by Diageo, is a workhorse Speyside distillery and the home of the Singleton of Dufftown. Its spirit stills are larger than its wash stills, unusual among Scottish distilleries.

The spirit was run through the stills on water from Jock's Well in the Conval Hills, building the smooth Dufftown style. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanillin lending vanilla under the fruit. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin settling into a rounded vanilla as ethyl esters lend a riper apple and pear. Years in oak round the spirit, the green apple and malt deepening to honey. For years it made a rich, nutty, spicy spirit in the Bell's style. The Singleton of Dufftown is matured in a mix of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry oak. It was founded in 1895 within a former meal mill by Peter Mackenzie and his partners.

At 43% it is malty, nutty and smooth. Nutty malt, green apple and a gentle spice, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Pear, honey and a creamy malt fill the middle. The close is smooth, fruit over a gentle, spicy oak. This is Dufftown, a heart malt of the Bell's blend.