Miltonduff 12 Year (1980s Bottling)

Review by: zSolaris

Distillery: Miltonduff.

Region: Speyside.

Age: 12 Year. Bottled in the 1980s.

ABV: 46%

Price: Sample courtesy of /u/_asipper.

Color: 0.8, Deep Gold.

This sample was reviewed blind. The label was marked “Fairness” but no hints were given beyond that it was a malt whisky.

Nose: Bright and sharp from the get go. Orchard fruits, specifically underripe apples and some nectarines/peaches, are what stand out to me here.

Palate: It feels a touch hot at full strength. Thankfully water cools it down nicely. The bright fruitiness from the nose is still here. It is an orchard fruit basket with apples and peaches. Towards the back half are notes of chocolate and cream (maybe even white chocolate?) which give this more dessert-y spin. As I give it more time, some notes of cherry kirsch come out.

Finish: It is pretty short. It’s really clean and is a touch floral. Overall the finish reminds me most of a floral tea.

Guess: This feel super familiar but I can’t place it. I’m going to guess Speysider, probably young teens (13-15 years of age), ex-bourbon cask, mid-50s for ABV. If I have to guess distillery, I’m gonna go with Linkwood.

Reveal: Miltonduff 12 Year (1980s Bottling).

Conclusion: At this point, I think it is starting to become apparent that I enjoy Miltonduff. I’ve certainly never had this dram before but it felt so familiar anyway. The bright, sharp, and fruity nose was such a wonderful wakeup call. The mix of orchard fruits, chocolate, cream, and a bit of kirsch made for a really tasty experience on the palate. The finish, while short, made me want to jump into the next sip almost instantly. I probably drank this a lot faster than I needed to but darn was it right up my alley.

Final Score: 83.

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

Published by zSolaris

Unknown's avatar

Home is where the corn is! Or at least that's what I told the wife before moving her from sunny Southern California to the Midwest anyway. She doesn't share my love of scotch, the drink, but has been incredibly supportive of my little wander down the rabbit hole. We do both share a love of Scotch, our dog, though (she named him, I swear!). He's the cutie in the profile pic.

Leave a comment