Region: Speyside

Location: Dufftown, Banffshire

Status: Operational (owned by Diageo)

General whisky characteristics: Light and floral

More great distillery info here thanks to Malt Madness

Distillery photos with kind permission by Teun Van Wel

A note about 'Singleton'

In Europe, Dufftown single malt is bottled and sold as 'Singleton', but if you buy a 'Singleton' in The USA it will contain Glendullan, whereas in Asia it will be Glen Ord. Then to confuse things further, Diageo bottled Auchroisk as 'Singleton' during the 1990's.

My thanks to Malt Madness for this information

Dufftown, Managers Choice, distilled May 1997, 59.5% ABV

American Oak, one of 282 bottles

Typical cost of this bottle  €€€€€

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Rich gold, pale amber

Nose: Rubber, light leather and leafy.

Palate: Hints of rubbery banana? Let's add some water ...

With 4 drops of water: A strange but pleasant very aromatic leafiness.

With 4 more drops of water: Very floral / aromatic soft mocassin leather over that perfumed leafiness.

With 5 more drops of water: Light, aromatic, floral leafiness.

Finish: Extremely long, almost never ending with water.

Overall Impression: A quite strange floral leafiness which I quite like. It is rather pleasant.

Independent bottlers

James MacArthur, Dufftown, 13y, bottled Aug. 1991, 59.4% ABV

Typical cost of this bottle; originally €€€€€

Glass: Spiegelau

Colour: Very pale and clear, not far removed from water in colour.

Nose: Lots of spirit from that 59.4% but eventually an aromatic farmyard begins to come through. Straw, hay, horse stables, muddy boots and a little freshness.

Palate: Very strong, sweet liquorice and popcorn, but this is crying out for a few drops of water.

5 Drops of water in about 2cl: The nose has immediately opened and lost that initial spirit. It's now lightly aromatic malt and nuts. The palate is much smoother with more toffee and even treacle flavours. There's even just a faint glimpsing hint of salmon filet in a herb crust, but this lasted literally just 1-2 seconds.

With 4 more drops of water: This suddenly becomes rather perfumed with traces of lavendar amongst Alpine herbs.

Finish: Long, aromatic and floral

Overall Impression: Definitely needs water, but when you do add some this whisky rewards with a quite floral and perfumed presence. I like it!