53,5°
Distillery Officially Unknown - Speyside
Sherry Finish
Independent Bottling
By Silver Seal
Limited Edition
Single Cask
Bottled in 2024
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength
Totally Unpeated
I don't know if Pluscarden Valley really exists, but Pluscarden Abbey does, and has since around 1230. And the Miltonduff distillery was established in the mill of this abbey, so Pluscarden Valley has been a brand name used since the 60s when you don't want to name Miltonduff. And Sestante, which changed its name to Silver Seal in 2000, didn't shy away from it. Yes, but this time it doesn't seem to be Miltonduff. Il Capo himself assured me that it was Glenrothes. Why keep the name Glenrothes a secret? Why name it after a brand that traditionally refers to Miltonduff? I have no idea. Perhaps Massimo Righi wanted to throw me off track. We can't be sure of anything. In any case, it's one of these two distilleries. The juice was finished in a Sherry cask, and 356 bottles were filled.
Let's Taste It :
The nose is superb, woody, elegant, perfectly balanced, with a roundness with no false angles. Candied apricots, salted butter caramel, melting chocolate, cinnamon, spongy red fruit, morello cherries, angelica. Orange marmalade. It's slightly less complex on the palate, quince jam, cloves, tannins and grainy cereals. Spices are varied, but not aggressive. A pinch of pepper. Very long, full finish, with roots, ivy, bougainvillea and almond shells. Hints of earth and saffron, pine cone, chocolate mousse.
In Short,
It's sublime, magnificently well done. The finish in particular is incredible. On the palate, however, it's a tiny bit below par, slightly soft. It fits the Glenrothes profile, and besides, I don't know why Massimo Righi would tell me nonsense. The price is of course high, given the age and the small number of bottles. This is a bottle that requires sacrifice, but it will reward you for your pains.
Score : 90
To Be Listened While Sipping :
The Electrophonics - Love Upon a Shelf
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