Daftmill has the kind of reputation that can make a single-cask release feel like an automatic purchase. I bought this 2011 cask, selected by Kensington Wine Market in Alberta, expecting something special.
After spending time with it, I can say the whisky delivers plenty of pleasure. At roughly $250, though, it also raises a harder question: how much should we pay for the Daftmill name?
First, give this whisky time in the glass. Bottled at 58.9% and just shy of 14 years old, it initially shows some heat on the nose. Even after my first sip, I felt it needed longer to settle. Once it does, the sharper edges give way to red fruit and a lovely maltiness. There is something about the aroma that reminds me of Hazelburn, with a Campbeltown-like character despite the absence of peat. I suspect this bottle has more to reveal as it continues to open up.
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The palate rewards that patience. Its Oloroso sherry-cask influence comes through clearly in the red fruit, while a viscous texture and malty sweetness carry it from start to finish. The finish may be its best feature: long, sweet, and full of fruit. I think it would take water well, although I prefer it neat once my palate has adjusted. I still enjoy a little bit of fight in a cask-strength whisky, even if I find myself reaching more often these days for bottles in the 46% to 50% range.
Quality is not my concern here. Value is. A few years ago, people would have gone nuts for a Daftmill single cask of this age and strength. Today, there are older whiskies available for considerably less, even if they are not direct cask-strength equivalents.
It is striking how readily we accept a price north of $200 from a prestigious Scotch distillery while questioning a similarly aged, cask-strength single malt from another producer at around $180. The single-cask designation matters, but it does not make price irrelevant.
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READ THE STORYI give this Daftmill an 85. It is a very good whisky, and I am glad I opened it, but I would not buy a backup at this price. Closer to $150, I might buy two. As stronger alternatives reach the shelf, even respected distilleries will need to pay attention to what drinkers are willing to spend. Where do you draw the line between a whisky worth enjoying and one worth buying again?
For a closer look at the bottle and my full tasting, watch my video on this Daftmill single cask.
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