Our little online whisky group poured this as part of a mystery advent calendar last winter; I was a bit slow on actually getting around to trying all of the whiskies (in part because they were not mysteries to me!). My expectations here were muted, I have not always loved Littlemill and the lower abv had me concerned this might be a bit too mellow. This Littlemill was bottled by the Hart Brothers to make the royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011.

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Whisky: Littlemill 20 Year, Hart Brothers Royal Wedding Celebration

Country/Region: Scotland/Lowland

ABV: 46%

Cask: Oak

Age: 20 Years (Bottled 2011)

Notes: Mellow and mildly tropical, like hanging out on an old wooden lanai in the early evening— the smell of old sun-baked wood, rattan furniture, passion flower and florals, subtle musty earth, and a hint of creamy vanilla and coconut wafting from inside. Further in I found creamy haupia pudding pie with hints of citrus rinds and musty wooden cabinets— a secret pie stash in the kitchen? Medium to light-bodied with plenty of mellow semi-sweet tropical fruits; kiwi, coconut, guava, and rambutan. More old wooden decks and furniture developed with musty earth, dark chocolate powder, and overgrown aloe vera plants toward the end.  The finish was long and slightly drying with old wood, woody tropical stone fruit pits, and a kiss of fruit that gradually lengthened with some brown sugar.

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Score: 7 (84)

Mental Image: Tea, Pie, and a Porch at Sunset

Conclusion: My experiences with Hart Brothers and Littlemill have been decidedly mixed, but this was a delight. It had all of the mellow tropical fruits, earth, and wood that I love to find. Anything that puts me in mind of a calm lanai in the late afternoon or early evening as the sun starts slipping behind the horizon, but there is just enough warmth that the woods and florals come alive.  I do wish the mouthfeel was a bit heavier, but I cannot complain when the flavors were so well-structured and refined. Overall, a porch sipping whisky.