Dufftown 8 YO Gordon & MacPhail

The reviewed bottle is a Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur's Choice series 8 yo Dufftown, with no vintage year listed. The whisky was aged in refill bourbon barrels. The reviewed whisky was sampled when the bottle was newly opened, and then again 8 days later. The whisky showed no noticeable difference over those 8 days

Nose: mild malt, light citrus, a hint of wood; pleasant but very understated

Taste: much stronger mid-range-pitch malt flavours and low-pitched wine flavours, tart lemon citrus, a little pear and green apple. Oddly, there is also some pine resin flavour. In the mouth, this is hearty more than refined

Finish: ends on dry and sour citrus

Balance: not too balanced by the finish. This is a very basic citrusy Speyside malt, without much complexity or refinement in its flavours. Overall this G & M Dufftown 8 yo makes a very satisfactory malt for a very light mood

(Comment: Jim Murray is usually no fan of the Dufftown malt whiskies. His comment from the 2014 Jim Murray's Whisky Bible on the 1999 G & M Dufftown Connoisseur's Choice, 43% abv: "If you are going to find a very drinkable Dufftown, you have to trust Gordon & MacPhail- as usual." This one is drinkable too, but no award winner.)

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