Whisky: Daftmill 12 Year 2007 Winter Batch

Country/Region: Scotland/Lowland

ABV: 46%

Cask: First Fill Bourbon

Age: 12 Years (Distilled 2007, Bottled 2020)

Nose: Crisp and herbal, earth, honey, lemon-lime soda, birch, sarsaparilla, dandelion greens, coriander, ginseng, goji berry, black peppercorns.

Palate: Medium to light-bodied, balanced and mellow, citrus and peppercorns, tropical fruit gummy bears, dandelion greens and lemon, birch and vanilla with hints of mint at the end; touch of spirited heat.

Finish: Medium to long with fruit gummies, melon rind, and a touch of earth.

Score: 6-7

Mental Image: Gummy Bear Lab Experiments

Narrative & Notes: With the aroma, I recalled oxtail or ginseng chicken soup preparation, two of my wife’s favorites, with a cutting board of lemons, coriander, ginseng, anise, goji berry, black peppercorns, and a touch of earthy ginger. Beyond the soup, the aroma was crisp and sweet with honey, lemon-lime soda, birch, sarsaparilla, and mellow green tobacco with a touch of dry earth. Medium to light-bodied, the palate was balanced and mellow, revealing bright citrus and prickly peppercorns. Tropical fruit gummies came to mind as the profile verged on tropical fruit, though restrained, as if flavored with just the essence. Effervescent at times, with lemon, birch, vanilla, and mint joining the fresh peppery taste of dandelion greens. A touch of spirit finished the affair with a medium to long finish of fruit gummies, melon rind, and a touch of earth. A splash of water brought more melon and honeydew out earlier with a touch more wood.

To understand the incredible demand for Daftmill, one needs to look no further than the small size of the distillery and its reliance on the barley it can grow. The 2022 Malt Whisky Yearbook gave the capacity of the Lowland malt distillery as roughly 65,000 liters per annum. Combine the limited production with an avid fanbase and the respect of enthusiasts and online reviewers— many of whom thought highly of the decision to wait a decade before releasing any malt— and it is no wonder that Daftmill bottles are in high demand and sell for a pretty penny. I believe this release retailed at 200 USD, an amount worthy of at least one eyebrow raise, considering it was 46% and only 12 years old, though that is in keeping with most Daftmill releases.

I thought this release was much better than the previous 2006 vintage US summer release I tasted a little over a year ago, even if the overall flavor profile was relatively similar. I tried that whisky blind, and while I enjoyed it, it did not strike me as anything special, especially not for the price. This bottle pushed me closer to understanding the hype, though I am no closer to splurging on a bottle.