Single cask-bottlings from Littlemill seem to get more popular every week. When one from say, Whisky-Fässle or Archives, is announced on Facebook or Twitter, you better be quick if you want one. The last one from Archives (the independent label from the Whiskybase-guys) sold out within the hour. Granted, there were only 60 bottles available, but I still see it as a sign of the growing popularity of Littlemill. Now that Port Ellen and Brora are way too expensive for the regular whisky drinker, Littlemill has become the go-to closed distillery for a lot of people.
The Littlemill I taste today is also the Archives-label and was bottled earlier this year. It is a joint bottling with CasQueteers. If you’ve never heard from them, be sure to check out their website (it’s in Dutch). They offer great and easy ways to participate in a cask. I myself am part-owner of two casks from Strathearn: one bourbon and one sherry.
Littlemill 1989/2014 (53%, Archives, C# 42, 178 bts)
Nose: A whiff of old cheese. Anyway… that aroma dissolves quickly. Now some vanilla notes, honeyed cereal and grains. It also becomes very fruity after a while. Pear, peach and green apple. And almonds too. It is a dense/closed nose though, so be sure to give it some time.
Taste: An oily mouth feel. White grapes, pepper, apple and wet cardboard. A hint of smoke. Not sweet at all, very powerful. Properly balanced.
Finish: Pineapple, again some smoke. And then pear, never-ending pear. Great finish!
Rating: 88
An excellent Littlemill. The finish impressed me most. Great choice by the CasQueteers and Archives.
