The Deveron 12 Year

A Highlander bottled at a modest 40%. The bottle states, “When billows break and haar ghosts in, then haste ye home or some bit warm, unwind with toasted grain and apples, seaborne spice; calm from the storm”. A straw colored pour which reveals bright floral, fruity and sweet nose of dampened hay after a September rain. A subdued sweetness slowly and increasingly works its way in with vanilla custard, honeyed oatmeal. Add a mixture of apples and pears with a sprinkle of cinnamon and pecans. A smooth and velvety arrival within a medium light body. The sweetness is the show but it doesn’t dominate the spotlight. Caramel with confectioners sugar and honey. All that sweetness is tempered with a zing of fresh ginger or white pepper and cinnamon spiciness. Again, the orchard fruits are always present. As it starts to fade into the finish, a maritime brininess and a tinge of barrel char emerges. The palate is left with wood spices and tannins. The char sticks to the tongue, briefly. A bit small amount of bitterness comes through but quickly dissipates. The finish is sparse and what remains is a woody dryness. A solid offering that is inoffensive with a nice bouquet and a simple and sweet palate with a subtle spiciness. A summer sipper or a breakfast in a bottle. Enjoyable simplicity...with a nice beach glassed bottle.

My previous review was for the Singleton 12, a Diageo blend-workhorse. Now I'm switching to one of my Bacardi choices for Dewars products. So, I'll approach this review similarly and attempt to evaluate how Macduff Distillery performs on its own merits. Aroma: Almond, cashew, and walnut. Sawdust. Malt, toffee, caramel. Unripe banana. Taste: Vanilla, caramel, and toffee. Roasted nuts. Almond, walnut, cashew. Golden raisin. Green grape. Honey. Malt. Fig. Sugar cookie. Finish: Sugar cookie, vanilla, and toffee. More walnut, almond, cashew. Caramel. White pepper and oak. Clove and nutmeg. Short finish. Writing notes for the aroma was a challenge. Very faint. The taste was adequate, and the finish was similar. This falls short of its potential at 40% ABV. The flavor struggles to make its presence known. What I can detect is quite pleasant, but the key here is the subtlety. 2.25/5. Macduff needs to strengthen this. But as it stands, I know the main purpose of their malt is blending for Dewars. Still, the Singleton 12 demonstrates that what the distillery keeps for itself can be presented with character. And Caol Ila proves it can be done exceptionally well. $48 is far too expensive for this one. Pass on it.

This is a budget-friendly 12-year-old and significantly better than anticipated. The nose and palate have substantial presence, not weak or thin. It offers bubble gum malt with poached pears simmered in butter and nutmeg. The rich, deep savory flavor is enhanced by the influence of dry oak barrels. It has a slight resemblance to scotch tape, similar to Blue Peak. The finish is decent, with lingering sweet malt and drying, almost bitter tannins. A welcome surprise that I would repurchase. If you enjoy Aberfeldy 12, try this; it has more character.....86/100

★★★½ I needed to break up the evening! After the seventh wonder of the world, I had to get back to reality and thought an entry-level whisky would be perfect for resetting. I have nothing more to say about this whisky, except that it's quite good for the price.

80 proof. Costing $47.99, with tax $50.63. Aged in former bourbon barrels. Flavors include tea, honey, nuts, barley, french toast, toasted strawberries, earthy peat, oak, toasted apples, toffee, buttered corn, sugar cookies, pepper, vanilla, caramel. Distinctive.

Nose: Intense green apple and salt. Palate: Moderately sweet, like apple strudel, with caramel, salty notes, and raisin. If you're obsessed with apples, this is your spirit. It has a stronger apple flavor (though less sweet) than apple juice itself.