Ah yes, my second-ever Dufftown review and, indeed, my second-ever Dufftown. As I know no more about the distillery now than I did when I reviewed the other late last year, and as I already made my Homer Simpson joke on that occasion, I have nothing more to say about it. I will only register the faint hope that this may prove to be better than that K&L cask. The hope is faint because Diageo’s Singleton releases don’t really have strong reputations. They’re intended as entry-level malts and some would and do say that they pretty much taste like blend replacements, or as a way to get blend drinkers to pay a bit more for a single malt without risking turning them off. I believe all of the Singleton releases are 12 years old—which would make them competitors for the Glenlivet and Glenfiddich 12s. (In the US we get the Singleton of Glendullan. I think the Singleton of Dufftown goes to Europe and the Singleton of Glen Ord to Asia—I might have those swapped.) Anyway, let’s see what this one is like anyway. 

Singleton of Dufftown (40%; from a sample from a friend)

Nose: Mellow with a bit of malt, a bit of oak and some indistinct fruit (some orange peel in there). The oak gets perfumed (floral) and this becomes the top note as it sits. A few drops of water push the oak back a bit and bring out a leafy quality.

Palate: Not much happening here. The first impression is of the thinness of the texture and then there’s some spicy oak behind it—none of the fruit follows. Gets oakier and spicier as it sits but there’s nothing else happening. I’ll give it some more time, and if nothing develops, I’ll give it some water. Um, water just makes it a bit astringent.

Finish: Short-medium. The oak and spice fade out and that’s about it. Nothing interesting with water.

Comments:Theres’s nothing offensive about it but also nothing whatsoever to recommend it as a sipper. Best with a lot of ice, probably, or with a mixer.

Rating: 76 points.

Thanks to Florin for the sample!