A Rare, Aged Beauty from an Under-the-Radar Distillery
1994 Miltonduff 24 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (750ml) ($129.99)
“It’s quite a rare thing to see [Miltonduff] bottled on its own as a single malt, and we’re supremely happy to have had the chance to do it.” —Andrew Whiteley, K&L NorCal Spirits Buyer
Single malt offerings of Miltonduff are about as rare as they come. The spirits from this Speyside distillery most commonly find their way into the blend at Ballantine’s, but every so often a single malt cask comes to the market. When it does, we make it a point to secure it as quickly as we can. This 24 year rendition is, in a word, gorgeous. Notable for its elegance and grace, it has the kind of broad appeal that will delight legions of whisky fans. Its time in barrel has taken an already exceptional dram and elevated it. A classic Speyside profile is delightfully accented by notes of nut, herb, camphor, and tea. There is a rich and luxurious approach to this single malt, yet it never loses its elegance and refinement. Scotch of this age and pedigree often command prices upwards of $200, so the value here is incontestable. Because it so rarely is seen, many have not sampled aged Miltonduff, except for those who have quickly become ardent fans. A mere 266 bottles of this exclusive made it to our shelves and our stock is quickly diminishing. Those who add this under-the-radar find to the bar will be very happy they did.
1994 Miltonduff 24 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (750ml) ($129.99)
The strikingly underappreciated Miltonduff distillery is unique in so many ways. Built on the site of an old mill for the Pluscarden Abbey, the distillery’s old stone buildings hide one of Speyside’s most delicious malts. Originally a Priory founded by King Alexander II in 1230, the area became renowned for illicit distillation. Originally licensed in 1824, the name, Milton, was taken from a still that operated on the property. The Duff family owned the lands surrounding the abbey, hence the name Miltonduff. The malt became an important component of the renowned and still well-regarded Ballentine’s blend. Small quantities are released via trades to independent bottlers, but the new owners (Chivas Regal) haven’t made an effort to market the malt as a standalone whisky. Its quality and rarity mean that bottlers often charge a premium and we’ve seen countless young offerings for over $100. So, when this cask of fully matured Miltonduff came our way, we knew we couldn’t say no. Just a few months shy of that magic 25 year old age statement which would have added a solid 40% to the price tag, this is one old Speysider you can’t afford to miss. The older Ballentine’s blends are regularly awarded high praise from the critics and Miltonduff is a big part of that story. This old elegant whisky is the most approachable of the 20+ year old single casks that we’ve brought in this year – full of fruit, malt, and unprecedented purity.
David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 13, 2018
Pour little Miltonduff. Nobody seems to want to admit that this stuff is world class. Critics ignore it, amateurs are unaware of it, and aficionados don’t even pretend to understand it. It took us a while to sell the last exclusive Miltonduff because most people wouldn’t get on board. When they finally got around to tasting it, the stuff flew out the door. This cask might sadly suffer a similar fate. Waiting on our shelves to be discovered, the lucky few who dip their toes in without bias will be rewarded handsomely. Quite an old school nose, with hints of citrus, wisps of clean smoke, marzipan, and savory herbs. The somewhat subdued nose is in total contrast to the massive intensity of the palate. It’s all citrus, cake frosting, and herbs. Again though, none of the smoke. It has a bit of camphor and a warming minty green tea finish. With water, it just explodes with flavors offering an absolutely stunning bouquet of aromatic complexities. It’s a terrible shame that more people aren’t jumping all over this beauty. If you don’t act soon you might just miss the malt of your dreams. Once the geeks get a hold of this one, I think that they’ll be hoarding it.
Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 10, 2018
We don’t get to see a lot of Miltonduff which is a shame. It offers a wonderful flavor prospective to the single malt selection at K&L. The nose has bright nice pear fruit-like aromas that have wax and honey undertones. In the mouth the entry is sweet, followed with concentrated flavors that have dried fruit nuances. There is a long finish. I thought the Miltonduff 24 was enjoyable with and without an addition of water.
Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 01, 2018
An especially clean and pure spirit, even at such an age. Miltonduff is most well known for being the top dressing malt for Ballantine’s wonderful and elegant blends. It’s quite a rare thing to see it bottled on its own as a single malt, and we’re supremely happy to have had the chance to do it. There are lots of butterscotch, Werther’s Original cream, and caramel notes to this malt. A bit of buttered popcorn and a fine drizzle of melted milk chocolate round it all out. For those who normally drink the classic malts of Glenfiddich and Glenlivet, this is a luxurious rise to the top of that style ladder without paying the premium associated with the very old bottles from those illustrious distilleries. Not a hint of smoke here, just a little dried nuttiness and a faint herbal note round out everything with a slight savor. At the natural cask strength of 50.8% ABV, this is utter perfection.
Neal Fischer | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 30, 2018
There’s quite a lot of caramel and butter in this whisky. That then is followed by a whisper of smoke which is nearly overpowered by vanilla bean, molasses, and candy chews. Luckily, its also zesty with bright scents of orange peel and freshly squeezed lime. The caramel flavors continue on the palate with a great warm bready quality. Its also got strong layers of nuttiness and leather adding some depth. In the finish, the leather and caramel stand strong with the assistance of warming spice.
