Macduff 14 Year Old 1997 Anam na h-Alba

Macduff is another one of those whiskies that you will only find with independent bottlers, because is it not bottled officially as a single malt (bar the to be avoided Glen Deveron). It forms the heart of the well known blend William Lawsons (also to be avoided in my book). I wonder wat this bottling from Anan na h-Alba will mean for me. It is very pale, so obviously a rather inactive sherry cask (well, refill after all).

The nose is somewhat bizar. Loads of grain in combination with some sherry influences like bitter coffe, walnuts and faux leather. A bit of cigar-box and wet hay. Not a lot of fruit. The only thing coming through is a bit of white and yellow apples, oranges, honey and sultanas, but you have to look for it. Some mineral touches as well. Flints, wet rocks. Water flattens the whole.

It is oily on the palate, but very bitter. Walnuts, grape stones, ginger, white pepper. The fruit does not stand a chance. Only dried pineapple surfaces. Razor sharp. With water, it turns a lot sweeter and tames the bitterness. Blimey!

The undiluted finish is long and bitter, the diluted finish is short and bitter.

A difficult Macduff in my opinion. Just like the 14 Year Old Dram of the Lords, this one needs a lot of water to become quaffable. But it is never really any good. A let down and the weakling in the Anam na h-Alba range if you ask me. Around 73 EUR.

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