It’s been a while my friends! One week ago I’ve become a dad for the first time and obviously my time was spent elsewhere. But I’m back with a whole lot of insipiration! So, let’s kick things off with a this Daftmill 2011 Summer Batch.
This Lowland Distillery from the heart of Fife is not just your every day run of the mill distillery. Daftmill is a true farm distillery, that uses their own barley to make some seriously good whiskies. Just like the farming season, this is a seasonal product. Hence the addition of “Summer Batch” after the vintage. They have a limited production, sometimes only a hundred casks are distilled a year.
Even before getting into the tasting notes there’s something I absolutely love about this bottle of whisky. The matter of shared details on the back of the bottle. From barrels used, cask position in the warehouse and previous contents of said barrels (in this case Bourbon from Clermont Springs), barley variety and harvesting dates. The geek in me can have a field day with this dram!
Tasting Notes: Daftmill 2011 Summer Batch
Stats:
Age: 12 years old
ABV: 46% (92 proof)
Distillery: Daftmill
Natural Colour: Yes
Chill-filtered: No
Nose:
What a fruit bomb! There’s so much citrus fruit in here it’s insane. From oranges, to mandarins. From kumquats to yuzu. There’s so much to explore here. Paired with other fruits such as pear, passion fruit and cantaloupe melon. And then some layers of honey and fresh moss. This is a nose bursting with vibrant light complexity.
Palet:
A combination of rich fruit and full-bodied oak. Caramel apples, candied pineapple, honeycomb, liquorice root, and salmiak. The palet of this dram keeps evolving and takes you for a whirlwind of a ride. The bourbon maturation does what it does best and in my opinion let’s the spirit shine.
Finish:
The finish is long, sweet and peppery. Candied jalapeños pair beautifully with manuka honey, apple compôte, and freshly baked cinnamon rolls. Though the finish is rather long, it does mellow out quite fast, with that hint of cinnamon spice lingering most prevalant.
Verdict:
This dram was an absolute joy. It’s a great display of spirit, craftmanship and integrity. Sipping drams like these will easily make you a fan of what Daftmill is putting out there and personally I can’t wait to do some side-by-side tastings to pick apart all the little differences seasonal changes and racking choices will make!
