1975 Berry Bros. & Rudd Exceptional Casks Dufftown, Cask Ref. 10430, Speyside, Single Malt Scotch Whisky (40.1%)
About this SPIRIT
Dufftown Distillery, Speyside
The Dufftown distillery is located in the part of Speyside and Banffshire of the same name, an area which also hosts other renowned distilleries such as Balvenie and Glenfiddich).
Dufftown was born out of the conversion of an old mill in 1896, and it was immediately acquired in 1897 by Peter MacKenzie and Richard Stackpole (owners of Blair Athol distillery), who were seeking to expand their production capacity during the whisky boom of the 1890s. The recession of the 1930s forced MacKenzie to sell Dufftown, along with Blair Athol, to Arthur Bell.
From that moment on, Dufftown has been an indispensable component of the Bell’s blend. Since 1985, Dufftown has been part of Diageo, but Dufftown is not a widely advertised brand within Diageo's portfolio as the majority of the output goes in blends. The release of single malt bottlings therefore are few and rare, though this distillery has plenty of special whiskies, including a 54-year-old Singleton of Dufftown released in 2021.
The distinctive style of Dufftown single malts is quite malty with a delicate, fragrant, floral and honeysuckle nose. There’s often a delightful spiciness to the finish of these spirits.
(Adapted from the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2024)
Speyside Whisky
To some Speyside represents the jewel in whisky’s crown. Speyside is the home of legal whisky production and it’s best known examples. Around the world Glenlivet, Macallan, Glenfiddich, Glenrothes and Glenfarclas typify all that whisky, at it’s best has to offer. At it’s heart running from the Monadhliath mountains north to the sea, is the River Spey. It is the fastest flowing river in Britain, and also well known for its salmon fishing.
Speyside is the principal whisky-producing region: Speyside has within it some forty-six operating distilleries - over half the total number in the entire Scotland.
Speysides are essentially sweet whiskies. They have little peaty character They are typically highly perfumed, feminine and elegant.
The classical nature of Speyside’s malts means that a number of the finest malts are used almost exclusively for blending. It is the top Speysider’s that give good blends their ‘Top Dressing’.
Malts such as Mortlach, Glen Elgin, Strathmill and Benrinnes are rarely found as distillery bottlings, however when individual casks are tracked down by independent bottlers such as our Own Selection Single Malt Whiskies the resultant whisky can be quite wonderful.
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
Bottled at natural strength, this suave, old dram makes an entrance with beguiling aromas of buttered toast, rosewater and wildflower meadows. The palate gently builds with 45 years of character displaying fruit salad chews, sandal wood, argan oil and smoked pineapple. Warm cherries pop on the back palate. A long and contemplative finish brings subtle spice and orange zest.
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