Today Gordon & MacPhail launches a very special single malt from the Milton Distillery. You may not know this distillery right away, but it is the original name of Stratishla, which only got its current name in 1951.
Using the original name rather than Strathisla is not without reason. It is a tribute from the bottler to the oldest working distillery in the Highlands. Their ongoing relationship dates back to when Strathisla still had the old name, and this 72-year-old Milton is also Gordon & MacPhail’s last Strathisla cask from the 1940s. It is, therefore, their oldest and last ever single malt that will carry the Milton name.
This Milton has matured in a 1st fill sherry puncheon and is bottled at a strength of 48.6% ABV.
Milton Distillery 1949 tasting notes:
Nose: surprisingly vibrant! Sweet oranges and a hint of red fruit; raspberries come to mind. Rich honey. Dried plums and figs. There is some lovely beeswax. Then it goes towards nougat, followed by a hint of vanilla and bananas. When my glass is empty, I also get a trace of smoke. Oh, I could smell this all day; it’s just stunning!
Taste: oranges again. Stewed red apples. Honeycomb and toffee. A touch of oak and pine needles. Followed by a bunch of spices: nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper.
Finish: long with the same spices again and a hint of oak. Red apples. But also a drop of honey.
I’m always amazed at how good these old whiskies of theirs are. Getting it done this way is an art and truly remarkable. This Milton is of excellent quality with beautiful flavours. A gorgeous single malt that you just want to smell for hours and hours. Very well done, Gordon & MacPhail, again!
Sample provided by Gordon & MacPhail
