Miltonduff 10yo
That Boutique-y Whisky Co. Batch 5 | 50.3% ABV
A Case for The Ignored
What does it take to make it in to the ‘Dramface Top 40’?
As you’ll probably know, Dramface has adopted a public voting system where you, me and everyone can pick 10 ‘favourite’ distilleries. You don’t rank them in any particular order, just submit which 10 distilleries are dearest to you and we set to work to distil a list consisting of the ‘top 40’ distilleries, as chosen by you, the whisky community.
The KISS principle goes a long way after all. Better still; you can adjust your votes at any given time. The idea is equally simple and noble. Out of the 141 and counting currently active Scottish malt distilleries, which do we, as a community, embrace? Where do we get our kicks? What floats our boats in terms of value and flavour?
Each distillery mentioned in the list comes with a link that will take you to expressions reviewed here on Dramface. In turn, this offers additional links through to other content creators or reviewers sharing their own views and opinions on that particular bottle. We’re not the gospel, after all.
This, in my opinion, is useful for a number of reasons.
First off, for people relatively new to whisky, the sheer amount of what’s available today can be nothing short of intimidating. Having some sort of list at the ready where a community shares what they believe is worth seeking out, can be super helpful. Now obviously I’m not suggesting that everyone just dipping their toe in to the perpetually increasing whisky pool will immediately find value or merit with a list like this. In fact, I’m pretty sure that they won’t.
The nuanced and subtle layers from a Kilkerran 12 or the farm-like, grainy flavour and texture from a Bruichladdich (and not to mention the price tag of anything Springbank local-to-you) can be something of an acquired taste, after all. So, probably this list is aimed at those who’ve done their run through the supermarket bottlings, who’ve crossed the Glenlivets and Johnnie Walkers off their to-try list and are looking to move forward.
Also, I like to believe that it sends something of a message to the industry. A message where all that we hold dear and would welcome from any producer is writ large. It reinforces the message we as a community have been sending for ages: we like whisky with a focus on flavour and quality, that’s been treated with ‘integrity’ when it comes to presentation and packaging (i.e. don’t fuss about with meaningless flannel on shiny boxes, don’t tamper with it in terms of chill filtering and bottling strength and if at all possible leave artificial colouring out of it as well) and that’s being presented at ‘fair’ - not the same as cheap - prices.
Basically, that’s it.
Maybe the industry knows of our preferences and grievances, but it never hurts to send a message across. Because it’s basically all and everything we can do. We’re not members of the board, we’re not the ones making executive decisions, we ‘re not majority shareholders. So, by lack of better options, shouting about what we feel is the way forward, is our best and most powerful tool. Whatever the industry decides to do with that message, is entirely up to them.
And obviously, when it comes to this list (or any other, for that matter) you can always debate and discuss whether distillery X deserves to be ahead of distillery Y, or even get angry or upset because distillery Z is nowhere to be found on the list. Some might even shout ‘echo chamber’. But then you’d be missing the point entirely. We (as in: team Dramface) don’t control the list in any way. It’s a community driven thing, and the resulting is always a measure of consensus. To suggest otherwise would be highly exaggerating any individual influence or grasp on the matter.
In the best case scenario this list will be a living thing; changing skin and direction as we go along. Some distilleries will rise, others will drop, new ones will make the Top 40 while others will stumble and fall. In that regard it’s not unlike a music Top 40 (albeit probably a much slower one) but that’s the only comparison that holds ground in my opinion.
The list is, despite it resembling a form of popularity based on voting, not some sort of competition or contest. I much prefer to see it as some sort of ‘manifest’ of what we hold dear. Also, and I feel it’s very important to emphasise this, not being on the list doesn’t, in any way, imply a distillery isn’t worth discovering or trying. This may seem as if I’m contradicting myself, but we must keep in mind that, as I stated earlier, it’s by no means meant to be gospel.
It’s subjective in any case, as are all things where personal preferences come into play, even if it’s a consensus driven thing based on 1000+ people sharing their thoughts and opinions. And these 1000+ preferences are obviously also influenced by things like availability, personal experiences, price setting and indeed, possibly also ‘buzz’. I think Ardnamurchan claiming 2nd place in this list is a very good example of this.
They don’t spend fortunes on marketing and advertising, yet they have an absolute strong suit in a team of welcoming and knowledgeable folk who keep their fingers on the pulse of what’s happening in the community while also and always keeping a keen eye on quality. Their story very much reads as that of a whisky made by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts, and the fact that they currently rank so highly on the list is again an example of what I’ve said before as well: if you do things right on all fronts the community will do most of the marketing for you.
Word of mouth goes a long way, especially in a community as niche as ours.
But what happens if you’re a distillery relying mostly, if not completely, on indie releases? Since you’re very much a workhorse distillery, catering to the needs of a popular brand of blended scotch, chances are, as a malt, you’re flying under a lot of radars to begin with. Those that do catch our attention and possibly even make it into the Top 40, will need to bank on a rock solid reputation of providing indie bottlers with excellent casks to begin with.
Linkwood and Benrinnes are two examples. But I’ll argue that Mannochmore or Teaninich would be equally ‘worthy’. Again, pointing out that this proves that the list is ‘flawed’ is completely beside the point. It is what it is. A guideline? Ideally, yes. A message: also. A competition? Absolutely not.
So, what are the chances of a distillery as ’unobtrusive’ as Miltonduff ever making it in a top whatever list? Fairly slim, I’d wager. I even believe this is the first time ever we’ve paid this distillery any attention here on Dramface. With some 800 reviews under our belt, I found this quite surprising.
Review
Miltonduff 10yo, That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Batch 5, 2022 release, 1013 50cl bottles, 50.3% ABV
£40 and generally available.
On paper, Miltonduff holds a lot of trump cards to be a celebrated and revered distillery, but it seems it never really achieved that status. And not because of there being a lack of indie bottlings available; there are tons about. But despite it being one of the oldest distilleries out there (they obtained a licence as far back as 1824 and it’s likely they‘ve been around for even longer), despite it being continuously in operation ever since and despite it growing to become one of the largest distilleries in the Highlands by the end of the 19th Century, producing roughly one million LPA. More than that, it seems Pernod Ricard are going all-in on Miltonduff, as they are planning a massive expansion in the coming years.
Old warehouses will be demolished to make room for a brand new distillery which could see as much as 10 sets of stills, meaning in a couple of years’ time, Miltonduff will become the 3d largest malt whisky distillery in Scotland. So I’d say both pedigree and longevity boxes more than ticked, but the ‘fille rouge’ almost throughout its entire history was that it was (and, based on where they’re going, will be) a ‘workhorse’ distillery first and foremost.
Since 2005 under Pernod Ricard ownership (and before that Hiram Walker), it’s used primarily for the Ballantine’s brand, and official releases are few and far between. As it currently produces roughly some five million LPA, there’s fortunately plenty to go about for the indie market.
Today’s fix comes courtesy of That Boutique-y Whisky Company, a subsidiary of Atom Brands, owned by Master of Malt.
Nose
Oily and oaky, moving into a sappy wood smell. Dark spices of clove and vanilla, notes of treacle and toffee, and something of a wine and grape note even, with a clear musty and dusty vibe to it (the sort you get from grape or grain dust). I’m not even sure there’s wine casks in the mix here, but that’s what I’m picking up. A delicate but distinctive lactic note rounds things off.
Palate
Again a woody note on the arrival, going into a wood char note even. Spices, dried oranges, cold coffee, sitting on a full mouthfeel that is l, viscous at first, but drying later. It turns into a spicy and gently peppery and woody finish that lingers on and becomes increasingly drying.
The Dregs
In short: good, not excellent.
This carries character and complexity, and it’s exactly the sort of profile you’d expect from a 10 year old single malt, meaning cask and spirit are getting along rather well, working together and lifting one another up rather than getting in each other’s way.
I’m guessing there’s primarily ex-bourbon casks at work here, and that’s exactly also where my one grievance lies with this whisky; a serious lack of information.
Notwithstanding the fact that I like and appreciate the artwork and the often tongue-in-cheek, easter egg hints and clues that are to be found hidden in it; some straightforward, factual information about the origins and background of what they bottle surely wouldn’t kill them. That said, it’s only a minor little thing and I suppose there is also some fun to be had in trying to dissect the ins and outs while letting the whisky do all of the talking.
Regarding the 50cl bottlings: I can’t even complete about that. I paid £40 for this bottle – and in return I got a 10 year old, utterly enjoyable single malt without added colouring or chill filtering and bottled just north of 50% ABV. If we do the math here, this comes down to £56 and change for a 70cl bottle.
In other words; a very strong value proposition if ever there was one. In fact, I should’ve probably bought two.
Score: 6/10
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. EA