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Macduff Distillery

Dràm Mòr is an independent bottler based out of Dumbarton in the west of Scotland. A relative newcomer to the Scotch whisky scene, this family business has already achieved an impressive level of consistency across multiple batches of single cask Scotch whiskies and rums. This review is the first in a new mini-series covering a selection of the latest releases from this bottler.

The whisky featured comes from Macduff, a Highland distillery that resides in the village of the same name. The distillery’s single malt is often bottled as Glen Deveron, or sometimes simply The Deveron, after the river that flows past its warehouses. It’s a new distillery, by Scotch standards, having been established in the 1960s by Glasgow-based brokers Brodie Hepburn, Marty Dyke and George Crawford.

William Delmé-Evans was brought in to design the project, having previously worked with Brodie Hepburn on Tullibardine. The architect was also heavily involved with the design and building of both Jura and Glenallachie but during the construction phase of Macduff, there a disagreement and he left the project to never speak of it again.

Production at the completed distillery began in 1963 on a single pair of Pot Stills before a third was added in ’65 and a fourth two years after that. The distillery was then taken over in 1972 by Martini & Rossi, who were in turn purchased by Bacardi in 1993. In April 1998, Bacardi bought Dewar’s, along with four malt distilleries from Diageo to create an impressive portfolio that included Macduff, Aultmore, Royal Brackla, Craigellachie and Aberfeldy.

*Full disclosure: the sample featured in this review was sent to me free of charge. As always, I will strive to give an honest opinion on the quality of the dram and the value for money it represents.

The Whisky

Macduff is bottled as the Glen Deveron Single Malt but independently bottled releases will usually showcase the name of the distillery itself, as is the case with this Dràm Mòr offering.

The whisky was aged for a total of 14 years which included a finishing period in a first fill Pineau De Charentes French fortified wine cask. It’s bottled at 54.9%.

Smell: Vanilla Fudge. Grassy malt. Hob Nob biscuits and muesli. Coconut. Almonds and cashew nuts. lemon and lime. Toffee and caramel. Wee bit of oak. Not too much in the way of spice. Quite a gentle nose in the way of heat.

Taste: Grassy. Straw. Biscuit. Malt. Develops quickly into caramel and toffee. Some honey even. A wee burst of oaky spice, nutty. Now some acidity. Like a squeeze of lime juice around the midway point. Turns woodier the longer it sits on the palate, though certainly not over oaked. Tingly wood spice gradually increases in power and lingers into the finish.

Thoughts: An interesting dram this. The nose is quite mild but then the palate is surprisingly active. I think you can tell it’s a little older at 14 with the prominence of the oak impact but the finish is very tactfully done. In fact, it doesn’t really feel like a finish because it’s so well integrated. A refined, more subtle dram than some of the others put out by this bottler but it’s no poorer for it. It feels sophisticated. Even though it displays some of the lighter fruits and maltiness you find in soft Speysides, the little bit of oak and tingly spice adds depth. Maybe it lacks the wee burst of fireworks that would elevate it from very good to great but it’s still a winner.

Price: £90. Not unexpected for a 14-year-old single cask – especially with an unusual finish. I found it quite intriguing but it would need to really capture your imagination at that price. Some will love, some may be a bit underwhelmed. Try before you buy where possible!

For more information on Dràm Mòr visit here

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