Daftmill 2007 Winter Batch Release (USA)

The Daftmills I’ve had to date have had the light elegance of the best Japanese whiskies — and with the 2007 winter release they now have a price to match, an extortionate $250 a bottle. That might be tolerable had the quality taken an equivalent step up, but something’s gone very wrong here. There’s a bitter oaky finish that erases the pleasure of satsuma segments on the nose and a burst of lemon at the front of the mouth. I spent several days revisiting my sample on the assumption that my palate must be having an off day or two, but the sensation of chewing wet wood dominated through the very last drops. Everyone’s allowed mistakes, but this is a costly one that squanders a lot of good will to this distillery.