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Wednesday, March 16, 2022

Dufftown 9 year old 1999 Gordon & MacPhail, cask 8787 for Binny's

Dufftown Distillery keeps growing and was, for at least a decade, one of Diageo's two most productive malt facilities (the other being Caol Ila). As its floor maltings were retired in 1968, its still count increased from two to four. 1974 brought its fifth and sixth stills, while the seventh and eighth were added in 1979. Today it runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Apparently people are still drinking Bell's.

I'm not sure if I've ever tried a Dufftown single cask before, so I am grateful that My Annoying Opinions sent me a good-sized pour from his bottle of this old Binny's exclusive. Like Mr. Opinions, I miss the days when access to the Illinois retailer's stock was easier. Sadly I only learned about their bounty a couple of years before their shipping gates closed. No matter how this whisky turns out, I applaud the Binny's crew for selecting a Dufftown when better beloved distilleries' single casks were more available back in 2009.

Distillery: Dufftown
Region: Speyside (Moray)
Owner: Diageo
Independent Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail
Range: Reserve
Age: approx. 9 years (1999-2009)
Maturation: bourbon cask?
Cask #: 8787
Outturn: 217 bottles
Exclusive to: Binny's
Alcohol by Volume: 56.4%
(Thank you, Mr. Opinions)

NEAT

Lots of barley and limes in this nose, with ocean air and tapioca pudding around the edges. Hints of guava and anise appear after some time. There's also something funky going on here, almost manure (a term also used by readers to describe my speculative screenwriting).

The palate starts with limes and barley, and a bit of tannins. It has just a hint of the nose's almost-peated note, which gradually fades as the citrus blooms. It's nice and crisp, I just wish it could shake that oak.

The gently sweet finish holds limes and flowers, with hints of salt and metal. 

DILUTED TO 46%abv

The nose feels more pulled together. Limes and lemons meet fresh herbs. The barley has receded, meeting some vanilla pudding in the middle.

The palate has become leaner and creamier. A curious bitterness works pretty well with the fruit, which tilts more towards mango than limes. Hints of grasses and grains in the background.

It finishes with a menthol glow, some mild bitterness, vanilla and a pinch of barley grist.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

This young, lively Dufftown exceeded my expectations. Even though the whisky is all of nine years old, it was bottled at the right time. That oak was ready to jump in and wreck the fun. Mr. Opinions was an even bigger fan of this cask than I, though we agree that dilution lifts up the whisky. Seeing another baby Dufftown exclusive cask arrive in The States would be almost delightful. Would people buy it? Does any "limited" release whisk(e)y not sell out now? Dufftown could put FOMO to the test.

Availability - All gone
Pricing - $50 in 2009
Rating - 84 (diluted)