The Singleton 12 year old Single Malt Whisky

I tried the Singleton Tailfire a while ago after a friend mentioned how much she loved it. It did not blow me away. However, I got quite a bit of feedback, with most people recommending the Singleton 12 year old single malt Scotch whisky.

While the Tailfire is still fresh in my mind, I decided to try the 12yo. Singleton is produced by the Dufftown distillery, which is located in the small Speyside town of Dufftown. The Dufftown distillery was not originally built as a malt whisky distillery.

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Wine merchant Peter Mackenzie and friends converted it from an old Mill to a Distillery in 1895 /6. The Dufftown distillery first drew water from John’s Well in 1896 and still do. Today, the brand is owned by Diageo.

The majority of the malt whisky produced at the Dufftown distillery is used for blended whiskies – particularly Bell’s and Johnnie Walker whisky.

The Singleton 12 year old single malt Scotch is matured in a combination of American and European oak casks. A traditional hip flask inspires the unique bottle shape of The Singleton of Dufftown, while the glass’s colour reflects the blue flint glass used at the turn of the previous century.

Singleton 12 year old Single Malt Whisky Review

REGION: Speyside

ABV: 43%

COLOUR: A deep polished copper.

NOSE: Sweet with caramel, toffee and vanilla coming through. There are notes of rich fruit and sweet spice.  After adding water, some of the sweetness disappears.

PALATE: Tasting the Singleton 12 year old whisky brings notes of spice, creamy oak and toasted malt. It is a rich and buttery whisky with a rich mouthfeel. There are lots of sweet vanilla, and hints of fruit dipped in dark chocolate. It is a well-balanced whisky, with the spicy and sweet in perfect harmony.

FINISH: Medium length and ends in notes of sweet cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. There is an underlying layer of butter toffee  sweetness, which is delicious.

RATING: EXCELLENT

The Singleton 12 year old Scotch whisky is surprisingly good! I was not expecting fireworks after tasting the Singleton Tailfire, but I was pleasantly surprised. I can now understand why my friend loves this dram. And at a price below R400 in South Africa, this is good value for money.

I have also tasted the Singleton 15 year old, and you can read all my thoughts on this slightly older Dufftown release. I have also done a side by side comparison of this Singleton release against  the Glenfiddich 12 year old whisky.

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