2009 Macduff 12 Year Old "Old Malt Cask" K&L Exclusive Single Refill Hogshead Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)

I'm a big fan of this bottling because it has a lot of those rich and decadent flavors, but it's incredibly light and easy to drink - it's like a magical dessert that never fills you up. On the nose, I get a lot of vanilla upfront followed by digestive biscuits, then comes nougat, and that flows into milk chocolate. In the background there's faint scents of lemon zest, new leather, and honey. The palate has everything that I get on the nose plus more nuttiness, especially in the medium-long finish. Seriously, this thing is like a really good candy bar, but it's not a Sherry bomb that goes over-the-top with richness or sweetness. A few drops of added water adds to the lightness of the dram while bringing out more of the citrus and honey characteristics. This Scotch is absolutely smashing whether you want to drink it neat, with water, or on the rocks. This is the next bottle I'm buying for my dad when I go visit him in Colorado.

This weird and wonderful cask of Macduff is definitely the oddball of this years selections. We've always got to have one. It will certainly be controversial I believe, eliciting strong responses on both sides of the fence, but I believe it's an interesting example of this distillery and I'm happy to recommend it to the more advanced and adventurous drinkers. The color is pale straw. The nose is an interesting mix porridge and vanilla bean. Soft not so sweet baked pastries and a subtle industrial plastic character on the nose, which is rather quiet at cask strength. There isn't much fruit to speak of, but a odd crystal malt character. This is contrasted wonderfully by the rich malty and fruity character on the palate. Creamy and honey, with candied citrus and sweet malt syrup. The nose and palate are so distinctly different and it finishes with a big ginger note and a lovely rich spice. With water we start to open the nose toward the greengage and yellow plums. Now we're talking!!! Tons of yellow fruit now and all the odd ball aromas gone. All that potential on the palate opens with air and water. Please do not judge this whisky by the first pour. It needs some time and should have water added, but once you see it you'll be hard pressed to look away. There's always got to be an oddball during whisky season and so here it is. But giving the odd ball a fighting chance, is often one of the most rewarding things you can do.

I always hope Macduff will be in the offering every year when we go to Scotland. It rarely is, but I seem to like nearly all the casks I taste. It's a friendly malt and has one of the most unusual lyne arms you'll see in all of Scotland. They twist around like an M.C. Escher woodcut. Maybe it's the circuitous nature of the lyne that gives the malt such a distinct note. It's a combination of chocolate lava cake, creme brulee, and gummy citrus candy that is quite irresistible. They're all on display here and the barrel itself seems to be a relatively nondescript refill hoggie. The weight and mouthfeel is a perfect medium - just throwing strikes. The fruit leans towards the citrus side of the spectrum, but offers a touch of ripe melon as well. Mostly the flavors keep coming back to chocolate and vanilla with a rich creamy, fudgey, pudding-esque sort of feel to them. It's an easy drinker if there ever was one.