Macduff 2003 14yo (Single Cask Nation)

A single cask, cask strength, unfiltered and uncoloured bottling of 14 year old MacDuff distilled in 2003 by Single Cask Nation.

This is a series of blind tastings from the “The Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 5th Edition” advent calendar. I do not know what is in the calendar, so every one of these reviews is 100% no prior knowledge.

1. Macduff 2003 14yo (Single Cask Nation)
2. Wemyss Wooden Chest
3. Lost Distillery Company Auchnagie Classic
4. Glen Moray 2008 9yo #5764 (Secret Spirits)
5. Craigellachie 12yo 2006 Cask Strength (Secret Spirits)
6. Exclusive Malts Islay Sherry Cask (Laphroaig)
7. Adelphi Breath of Speyside 2006 (11yo)
8. Balmenach 2004 13yo (Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask)
9. Glen Moray 2007 10yo (A.D. Rattray)
10. Royal Brackla 2006 11yo (Secret Spirits)
11. Wemyss Delicious Burst
12. Lost Distillery Company Stratheden Classic
13. Auchinderom - Peated Glenglassaugh (Malt Whisky Company)
14. Knockdhu 2009 9yo (A.D. Rattray)
15. Caol Ila 2009 9yo (Secret Spirits)
16. Wemyss Nectar Grove
17. Glentauchers 2008 10yo (Secret Spirits)
18. Glenallachie 2009 9yo (Secret Spirits)
19. Williamson (Laphroaig) 2005 13yo (A.D. Rattray)
20. Stones of Stenness Orkney Aged 18yo (Single Cask Nation)
21. Inchgower 1995 21yo (Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask)
22. Towiemore Archivist (Lost Distillery Company)
23. North British 1988 30yo (A.D. Rattray)
24. Inchmurrin 1996 21yo (Secret Spirits)
25. Glen Grant 1988 30yo (A.D. Rattray)

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Distiller: MacDuff (Bacardi)
Distilled: 2003
Bottled: 2017
ABV: 57%
Age: 14yo
Cask type: Refill Sherry
Source: The Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar (5th Edition)
Setting: Blind

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Nose: Salty caramel, vanilla butterscotch icecream, a mild smoke thread, clove, pistachio and clementine. Some alcohol presence. Really interesting complex nose!
Palate: Smoke, brine, heat, seaweed, apricot, moath coating and pretty hot. Where did that smoke come from?!
Finish: The briney smoke fades into a vanilla pistachio nuttiness, with citrusy clementine overtones. Delightful.
Overall: This was a good pour: hot, feisty and delicious. The nose was full of interesting nuts and spicyness, then the palate punches you with a gigantic hit of smoke and brine. Great stuff.
Rank: 7
Reveal: Wow! I’m not sure I’ve ever had a MacDuff, so it’s not surprising I couldn’t guess it. 57%, no wonder it tasted a little hot! This was really delicious, a fantastic introduction to the distillery.