Dufftown 14 Years Old 1987 Cask #9057 (Ian Macleod)

This Dufftown was bottled by Ian Macleod, a 14 year old, distilled in 1987, from cask 9057, bottled at 43%, one of 1068 bottles. Dufftown, owned by Diageo, is a workhorse Speyside distillery and the home of the Singleton of Dufftown. It became the heart of the Bell's blend after Arthur Bell and Sons bought it in 1933.

It was distilled from unpeated Speyside malt in the distillery's six stills, the long ferment building a grassy, fruity character. It was matured in an Oloroso cask, the wood working slowly into the malt. In integration lactones (coconut) and vanillin (vanilla) knit with the spirit, the green apple deepening to honey. Refill oak lets the nutty, malty Dufftown character lead the way. Long ageing turns the fresh apple towards honey, dried fruit and a soft spice. It is one of Diageo's largest malt distilleries, making around 5.8 million litres a year.

At 43% it is clean and soft. Baked apple, nut and a creamy malt, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A baked apple and a gentle spice lift it. Apple, nut and a soft oak see out the finish. This is the Singleton of Dufftown in single malt form.