Singleton of Dufftown Spey Cascade

Plain. Pear

Nose: Lots of green apples and vanilla. Faint spice notes like cinnamon and ginger round off an OK nose. The taste is forwarded loaded with a quick dry finish and ending with mild spice. Initial taste is full malt and sweet with tart apple and spice quickly bringing up the rear. In many ways its a decent dram just never gets out of first gear. In short it has many of the elements of something more special but the construction is missing. In its price range its fine and you can do a lot worse but maybe also a few others around give a more complete and enjoyable ride. Thanks to Cascode for the sample.

Nose: Green apples, maple syrup, a hint of lemon and a very faint note of ash or char like vanilla sugar that has been caramelized and almost-but-not-quite burnt. The nose improves with a little time to develop in the glass, gaining depth and body. Palate: Light, grassy, fruity arrival with a little ginger. Not a lot in the development – some apple and walnut notes, and an almost vodka-like ethanol taste is discerned. The texture is forgettable but not bad. Finish: Short. Mildly spicy and fruity with a faint saltiness in the aftertaste. The nose reminds me much more of a mid-shelf blend than a malt whisky and the palate follows suit. This has a simple profile built around apple-juice characteristics (maybe some pear notes as well), thinned honey or syrup and mild spice. It’s not awful but neither is it particularly inspirational. It stands up to neat sipping, just barely, but does not provide much of interest to enjoy. It’s better as a mixer for long drinks. It is in the same price bracket as several better single malts and suffers from the comparison. It is also outclassed in both price and quality by the usual suspect blended malts Naked Grouse and Monkey Shoulder, and for that matter there are blended scotches that outclass this for a good deal less money. I've yet to be impressed by any Singleton bottling and I can't see myself buying this again. “Average” : 75/100 (2.25 stars)