Singleton 12 yr Glendullan Whiskey 750ml

Glendullan distillery sits on the banks of the River Fiddich at the edge of Dufftown, in the heart of Speyside, founded in 1897 by the Aberdeen blending firm William Williams & Sons. The whisky reportedly counted King Edward VII among its admirers, though for most of its history Glendullan's spirit went almost entirely into blends such as Old Parr, Bell's, and Johnnie Walker rather than being bottled under its own name. A new distillery was built alongside the original in 1972, lifting capacity to several million liters a year, and today Glendullan operates under Diageo.

Glendullan gained a sustained single malt identity in 2006, when Diageo relaunched The Singleton as a collection spanning three distilleries, Glendullan, Dufftown, and Glen Ord, each assigned to a different regional market. Glendullan was given North America, and its 12 Year Old sits as the lightest and most orchard-fruited of the three, matured in a combination of American ex-bourbon and European ex-sherry oak casks. It is bottled at 40 percent ABV.

The nose opens with soft vanilla and sawdust, moving into dried fruit and mixed nuts. The palate starts dry with oak and cinnamon before fresh apple and caramelized pear bring sweetness. The finish carries a subtle trace of smoke beneath toffee and blueberry.