Milroy’s of Soho “New Arrivals: Malts of Scotland” – Scotch Whisky News
MALTS OF SCOTLAND
BACK IN STOCK!
The sun has been shining on Soho this week with people out enjoying the cafe culture. Offices are empty and pubs are full! Chester, the shop dog, has been sat on our front step catching some rays, and our buyer Lee is thinking of investing in a deck chair to match his Panama hat (he’s going for a look…).
The sun has also been shining on us in terms of availability of interesting independent bottlings. We have more Maltbarn and Samaroli on the horizon, and today we have had a gleaming arrival of new releases from the most excellent Malts of Scotland.
There’s a great value Deanston, a staff-pick Bruichladdich, and even a 28 year old Bowmore which we don’t need to say much more about than that! Malts of Scotland are one of the recent additions to our shelves and are part of a cohort of indie bottlers we’ve wanted on the books for some time, largely because of their quite frankly amazing ability to consistently select good casks!
THE SELECTION
Deanston 1997, 16 Year Old, 46%
A 16 year old Deanston bottled by German indie bottler Malts of Scotland, this single cask is limited to just 242 bottles. On the nose there are notes of vanilla toffee, nutmeg and freshly mown grass. The palate opens up with a firm maltiness and a oily mouth coating quality. The finish is long and complex as notes of Asian spice, baked Bramey apples and passion fruit come to the fore.
Angel’s Choice Bowmore 1987, 28 Year Old, 35cl, 51.3%
What more do we need to say – a 28 year old sherry cask matured cask-strength Bowmore – yes please! The nose opens with blackberry fruit, summer fruit pudding and palma violet floral peat. The whisky coats the mouth with notes of blueberries, Victoria sponge cake and blackcurrants. Then comes the spectacular finish; warm spice, soothing coastal peat and demerara sugar. Sublime!
Images of Islay, Lochindaal Lighthouse, 53.2%
A limited run of just 265 bottles, this is a stunning secret Islay bottling. The peat is sturdy but reveals itself coquettishly. The palate balances a saline maritime quality with estery fruit, pear drops and banana. The finish lingers with the peat becoming a beach bonfire on a balmy summer evening.
Bruichladdich 2004, 11 Year Old, 55.5%
This Bruichladdich has been matured in an ex-Bourbon cask for 11 years. Expect Islay coastalness (that’s a word…) with additional notes of greengages, fennel seeds and compte shavings. A superb cask selected by one of our favourite German independent bottlers!
Images of Dufftown, St Michael’s Episcopal Church, 53.2%
This secret bottling of a Speyside distillery is adorned with a label depicting St Michael’s Episcopal Church. Only 557 bottles were produced from a single cask and were bottled at cask-strength. The whisky has a nutty aroma with extra notes of stewing plum fruits. The palate is relatively soft for a single malt of this strength, followed by a luxuriously silky finish.
Bunnahabhain 2000, 15 Year Old, 50.9%
A proud sherry cask matured Bunnahabhain bottled from a single cask at cask-strength. The aroma conjures up images of a calm Scottish Island bay before those assertive sherry cask scents emerge lending a richer Christmas cake-like quality to the whisky. The palate maintains an earthiness with winter spice softening the edges. The finish lingers with a coastal salinity and soft fruit notes. One of 655 bottles.
