Millburn 11yo 1983/1994 (59.7%, Cadenhead): the big bottle is in the Authentic Collection range, but this miniature does not mention it. SW often tells people this is his favourite whisky -- time to confront the beast! Nose: musty dunnage warehouse, with old dust, dry clay, left untouched for decades, ground nuts, rancio, and old staves, decomposing under tons and tons of aeons-old dust. Later, it reveals old ropes, ashes, still warm in the hearth grille. Oh! The ashes turn to embers, with also boiler rooms and old casks -- is this old school, or what? Mouth: ooft! that is hot. Hot wax, burnt cork, a grille on the fire, freshly-stamped seals... It has a little fruit too: dark grapes, plums, prunes, blackberries. The dominant is hot-cauldron action, however: white-hot cast iron, a rack and pinion above the fire, very hot water... In fact, that hot-water impression stays for good. It feels close to drinking hot water -- although, in this case, that is much more pleasant than it reads or sounds! In any case, this is not a whisky for beginners (he said pretentiously). It is challenging dram alright. Finish: phwoar! Industrial-age action, with hot wax cylinders, hot boilers, flames, fire, hot engines, melted wax, then prunes, stewed rhubarb and boiled sweets. I absolutely adore this sort of long-extinguished profiles. 9/10 (Thanks SW and PP)Of course, I could not show up empty-handed.
Millburn 25yo 1975/2001 (61.9%, OB Rare Malts Selection, b#2423): nose: this one is clearly affiliated, whilst also very different. It is much less dry, and it is woodier, with polished dashboards, dusty, leather-bound books on a teak shelf, very dark chocolate, aromatic herbs, thrown onto the hob -- and that is where the high strength finally makes itself obvious -- ooh! it is pretty hot, this. Stewed walnut flesh, stewed prunes, apricot compote... and scorched earth. What a combination! And it works! The longer it spends in the glass, the stronger it seems to become, causing zero problem: it remains well-balanced throughout. Mouth: spicy, though actually rather mellow -- this is the chicken goa of the whisky world, tonight. Yellow plums, peaches, cold apricot compote -- wait! the heat is rising! (The past is calling! -- for those Who know) The plums are now barbecued, the peaches are caramelised, and there is a lick of warm staves too. It has a distinct sweetness ("Turkish delights," says SW). Sugar exuding through staves, lichen, crystallised sugar. Finish: huge, ballsy, with hot, juicy, yellow fruit (baked peaches and warm apricot jam), a dash of smoke, warm wood, Turkish delights (SW was right), crystallised sugar on wooden staves, and candied orange rinds. This is simply amazing. It has never felt this sweet before and that is also wonderful: a whisky that changes every time one tries it. Why did I not buy a second bottle of this when I had a chance? 9/10Two related-but-different profiles, both amazing drams.
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