Littlemill, 30-Year-Old, Mythical Beasts, Lowland, Single Malt Scotch Whisky (49.8%)
About this SPIRIT
Littlemill Distillery, Lowlands
Littlemill is one of Scotland’s “ghost distilleries”. With a history dating back to 1772, it has the enviable claim of being the first malt whisky distillery in the country. Sadly, production stopped permanently in 1994, and the remaining buildings were destroyed by fire in 2004. Today, a housing development stands on the site.
Its early years were defined by upward movement in the area surrounding Glasgow – a historic centre for industry and enterprise in the era of the British Empire. It prided itself on an innovative approach to production, installing unique straight-neck copper pot stills. These production methods created a triple-distilled character through double distillation – resulting in a light, elegant style of whisky and ensuring its survival through the ages.
The remaining whiskies have developed greater vibrancy with time in the casks. These casks, acquired in 1994, now sit in Loch Lomond Distillery just up the road. This means the whisky continues to mature in the same environment, contributing to a distinctly Lowland character.
Master Blender Michael Henry has crafted two collections from these remaining casks: the Cask Reflections series and the Vanguards Collection. The former marks Littlemill’s final celebration of flavour, while the latter pays homage to the innovative figures that have shaped Littlemill’s history. These are incredibly rare whiskies and would make a truly special addition to any collection.
Lowlands Whisky
Lowland whiskies come from the area north of the English border, and south of a line drawn between Greenock in the west, and Dundee in the east. Traditionally they have been the source of a lot of the whisky to be used for blends, as such the style is much lighter than other regions, with little or no peat. By the late 19th centaury almost the entire production of the Lowland distilleries went for blending
The growth in popularity and power of the Highland and Speyside distilleries, has been matched by a fall from favour for Lowland producers, to such an extent that today there are only three left in production. By far and away the two biggest whisky distilleries are Auchentoshan and Glenkinchie. The third being Bladnoch, which is also, the most southerly distillery of all.
Auchentoshan Distillery is on the northern edge of Glasgow and was founded in 1800. It has a light, cereal and citrus nose and a clean, dry finish. Glenkinchie Distillery is located at Pencaitland, just outside Edinburgh. Typical of Lowland malt whiskies: fragrant and reserved, with a clean, fresh flavour.
There are some silent stills, whose whiskies are still found from time to time. Rosebank is quite often seen and was generally considered to be the best Lowland malt. Occasionally, but more rarely seen are St.Magdalene from Linlithgow, Littlemill from Bowling Dumbartonshire and Ladyburn, which was housed inside William Grants grain distillery at Girvan on the Ayrshire coast.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
It is becoming increasingly rare to come across Littlemill. But when such a sweet, charming example is encountered, the pleasure is manifold. Preserved citrus fruits and glacé cherries enliven a venerable and complex palate. Sweet herbal notes and gentle wood show very classy ageing. I’d suggest chewing this slowly, over an evening – around, under and through cushioned conversation. One of the last of an endangered breed, this cask delivers all one could want from such a rare beast.
Rob Whitehead, Spirits buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (July 2023)
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