Scotch Whisky Review #424: The Bottlers Millburn 20 Year (1982)

Distillery: Millburn.

Bottler: The Bottlers.

Region: Highland.

Age: 20 Year. Distilled in December of 1982 bottled in June of 2003.

ABV: 63.0%. Cask Strength.

Cask Type: Refill Sherry Hogshead.

Cask Number: 1971.

Price: Sample courtesy of /u/_asipper.

Color: 1.1, Burnished.

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Nose: Really fruity. Grapes, specifically green grapes, make up just about all of what I get here.

Palate: You definitely feel the burn on this at full strength, it comes out to slap you. A little bit of water gets it under control nicely and you’re left with a super fruity whisky. Champagne grapes and bosc pears are the main notes here. There’s even a bit of a tingly sensation on the tongue, as if it were carbonated, which makes it almost feel like a nice champagne instead of whisky.

Finish: Fairly long. Champaign grapes and green grapes are the main notes. That tingly sensation of carbonation sticks around and a hint of smoke comes through as well.

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Conclusion: Millburn, Inverness’ oldest distillery that has since been turned into a Premier Inn, has been a curiosity for me especially given how much /u/paulusgaming raves about it (and Coleburn). This bottling is the second I’ve had following a Rare Malts Millburn that was quite exquisite and I had high hopes for this one. While this Millburn is still quite fruity, the fruit comes out in a very intense and tasty fresh fruit form instead of the various jam notes. Unfortunately, I’m left wishing for depth and complexity here in the end. It does come off as a two-note wonder that is tasty but not quite there.

Final Score: 82.

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Scotch Whisky Review #424, Highland Review #82, Whisky Network Review #578

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Scoring Legend:

• 96-100: The perfect dram, nectar of the gods.
• 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky and I will always try to keep a bottle of this in my collection if feasible.
• 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product and I’m likely wanting a bottle or two.
• 80-84: Quite good, pleasant overall though there is usually a few things that could be improved still.
• 75-79: Good, enjoyable to drink but ultimately flawed.
• 70-74: Alright, solid and wouldn’t go out of my way to get it.
• 60-69: Meh, still drinkable.
• Below 59: If you have a bottle of this, start cooking with it instead.

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