Singleton of Dufftown 18 Year

Singleton, a single malt I typically avoid, has this 18-year-old expression, which a friend gave me, and I thought to myself, "I might as well taste it to see if it's one of those light apple juices I expect from typical Speysiders." Believe it or not, I was somewhat correct. Bottled at 40% ABV, with a golden color. On the nose, a pleasant aroma, classic Speysider with some enhanced notes. Caramel and green apples; very fresh. A distinctly mint liqueur note. Eucalyptus, and a hint of freshly baked brownies. A second sniff revealed Gerber's baby food apples; old red apples with dulce de leche. A nice aroma. On the palate, it's good. Mint liqueur, very herbal. Green tea with a touch of salt. Cider. A second taste brought the classic toffee and dulce de leche; with a subtle coconut note. The aftertaste is very brief. Salty, very herbal. Damp grass, a hint of tobacco. Not much substance here, not bad, just too fleeting. Overall, this whisky could have scored higher if the aftertaste wasn't so short. I enjoyed the nose, the palate was acceptable, and the aftertaste was disappointing. Not a poor whisky, but for an 18-year-old, it doesn't meet expectations. My score is a very lenient 83 out of 100.

Aroma: very complex. I detect orange, pear, berries, along with malt, wood, and spices. Intriguing. Flavor: candied oranges, hazelnuts, cereal muesli, unripe pear, perhaps a hint of sherry, though I'm uncertain about the barrels used for maturation. It's not bad, but the aroma was more impressive. Finish: Short and inconsistent. It's subtle, with the aroma being its most appealing aspect by far. Rating: 3.75 _______________________________________________________ Aroma: very complex. I detect orange, pear, berries, along with malt, wood, and spices. Intriguing. Flavor: candied oranges, hazelnuts, cereal muesli, unripe pear, perhaps a hint of sherry, though I'm uncertain about the barrels used for maturation. It's not bad, but the aroma was more impressive. Finish: Short and inconsistent. It's subtle, with the aroma being its most appealing aspect by far. Score: 3.75

Nose: Dark fruits, malt, berries, Demerara sugar. Palate: Soft. Sweet toffee, lighter dried fruits like sultanas. Barrel spice emerges. Finish: Dried apricot, sweet tobacco. A touch of chocolate.

It's good, but doesn't warrant the price. If the distillery interests you, consider the 15YO; it's more affordable and slightly better than this.

Nose: Mild, sweet caramel, fruity, and honey notes. Taste: Fruity with a bit of tang, oranges. Burnt caramel appears later, though it fades quickly.

Aroma of tea and vanilla combined. Palate is extremely smooth, featuring vanilla notes. A truly pleasant dram. Improved when served over ice.