Two old Miltonduffs from SMWS

My wife and I recently visited the wonderful SMWS venue in Queen Street 28, Edinburgh. This is a fantastic whisky bar, well worth a visit whenever (and I mean every single time!) you are in Edinburgh. We tried two old whiskies from Miltonduff (SMWS distillery code 72), with a few other drams. Here are my impressions.

SMWS 72.35 Pink Grapefruit Granita, 28 YO, 50 %

The first Miltonduff in the glass is a 28 year old, ex-bourbon, refill hogshead. Distilled 1984-11-27, with an outturn of 250 bottles.

The tasting notes from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) are:

Fruity aromas of apples, strawberries and bananas as wel as freshly brewed peppermint tea. The taste has liquorice, pecan nuts and a dry ginger ale finish. Water makes it soft and fresh with a hint of smoke and the taste is like freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice.

Nose (23/25): Vanilla, apples, almonds, and the softest, most delicate hints of oak.

Taste (23/25): Just great! Sweet and fruity. Almonds, marzipan, licorice and ginger.

Finish (24/25): Wow! And here comes the grapefruit! There's waves of it, washing over the bed of nutty, fruity spiciness. It just keeps going, and going, and going. A never ending story of bliss.

Balance (23/25): This is a rare gem of a whisky. So happy to have secured a whole bottle.

Score (93/100)

SMWS 72.34 Tropical Punch Pop Rocks, 30 YO, 55,6 %

The second Miltonduff is a 30 year old, ex-bourbon, refill hogshead. Distilled 1982-11-17, with an outturn of 138 bottles.

The SMWS tasting notes read as follows:

Initial nose of whole Brazil nuts covered in milk chocolate followed by crushed walnuts and split conkers and mint leaves. The taste has a fresh, green and firm feel like a green grape. With water juicy and fruity like a fresh fruit salad and in the finish a sweet oakiness.

Nose (23/25): Much the same as 72.35. There's vanilla, apples, and nuts here. A lovely nose.

Taste (22/25): A bit more of everything, which should have been great, but the refined delicacy of the 72.35 was better. This one is a bit sweeter, more spicy and richer.

Finish (21/25): Medium long, spicy with ginger and fruits. A bit more oaky, finishing on a dry note.

Balance (22/25): A very fine dram, but not at all on the high level of the 72.35.

Score (88/100)

Sláinte! - Thomas