Dufftown 13 Years Old 2008 Cask #705326 (Lady of the Glen)

The bottler Lady of the Glen bottled this Dufftown, a 13 year old, distilled in 2008, from cask 705326, bottled at 53.1%, one of 178 bottles. Dufftown is one of Diageo's largest malt distilleries, founded in 1895 in a former mill. The Singleton of Dufftown is matured in a mix of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry oak.

Mashed in the full lauter tun and fermented long for a clean, grassy make, building the smooth Dufftown style. It was matured in refill ex-Bourbon oak, a soft vanilla beneath the malt. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin settling into a rounded vanilla as ethyl esters lend a riper apple and pear. The malty, nutty spirit takes cask flavour well while keeping its Speyside fruit. The Singleton style leans on a mix of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry oak. Water from Jock's Well and a long ferment give the clean Dufftown make. It became the heart of the Bell's blend after Arthur Bell and Sons bought it in 1933.

At 53.1%, undiluted, it is deep and malty. Honey, nut and a touch of spice, with a soft vanilla from the oak. The texture is smooth and creamy, the fruit lifted by vanilla. The finish is rounded, malty and gently spiced. This is the workhorse malt of Dufftown.