Dufftown 48 Years Old 1975 Cask #10430 (BB&R)

A Dufftown of a 48 year old chosen by the London house Berry Bros and Rudd, distilled in 1975, from cask 10430, bottled at 40.1%, one of 192 bottles. Dufftown is a smooth, approachable Speyside malt from the town with the most distilleries in Scotland. The Singleton of Dufftown is matured in a mix of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry oak.

Distilled from unpeated Speyside malt in the distillery's six stills, the long ferment building a grassy, fruity character. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanillin lending vanilla under the fruit. In its ethereal years the malt is waxy and oxidative, faded esters and a touch of sotolon (maple, dried fig). The clean, grassy spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and honey to the fore. Maturation in the eight Dufftown warehouses is slow and steady. The slow distillation gives a smooth spirit that takes well to the cask. Water from Jock's Well and a long ferment give the clean Dufftown make.

At its natural 40.1% it is concentrated. Baked apple, nut and a creamy malt, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Beneath it run apple, malt and a soft honey. The finish is rounded, malty and gently spiced. This is Dufftown's nutty, malty Speyside style.