Operating as a full-fledged farm distillery since 2005, Daftmill is owned and managed by the Cuthbert family. The distillery only operates during the farm’s quieter seasons, i.e. mid-summer and winter, which means that production can sometimes be limited to 100 casks a year.
Distilled during winter 2010, this single malt from the Daftmill distillery was distilled from Publican barley, harvested on August 28 and 29, 2009 and then malted at Alloa during summer 2010. This single malt comes from a meticulous blend of 25 first-fill ex-bourbon casks, aged for over 12 years on the Daftmill farm.
Tasting note
Nose
Well-fruited nose of apple, pear, stewed grapes and candied cherry. The almond is also present, but caramelized. The profile is fine and the woodiness delicate. The occasional whiff of alcohol is still noticeable.
Palate
The fruitiness on the nose is more intense than on the palate. The apples and pears are rather macerated in brandy, but they give way to the woodiness, which brings a distinct bitterness to the finish. At times, almonds creep into the tasting, accompanied by a touch of sweetness as on the nose.
Overall
Long, accomplished. Finely chocolaty, it is also rancid (cherry brandy, apricot liqueur). It evokes the harvesters’ baskets filled with golden bunches of the folle blanche grape variety. Retro olfaction oscillates between prune, vanilla and dark chocolate. The empty glass is roasted (tobacco, coffee).
