Talking about random samples from the shelf! This one, of an eight year old Millstone had been on my shelf for years, and it was released years before that. On Whiskybase it was added in 2010, but there’s no telling how long it had been out before that.

But, the whisky itself! It’s an 8 year old bottling from the Millstone brand, which is the single malt brand of Zuidam Distillery in Baarle-Nassau, in the south of The Netherlands. One of the most ridiculous country border towns to exist on the planet.

With there being virtually no information on the sample’s label, it took some time to find the correct whisky, and right now I’m not even sure how I matched it to the entry on Whiskybase. However, seeing that two of my friends have reviewed it (out of three reviews) I know it must be the correct one.

Back then, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Millstone whiskies. They were coming around bit by bit, but they used to be a bit more of a curiosity than anything else. How things have changed, since they are a bit of a powerhouse nowadays, with really good stuff being released in a wide variety of casks and ages.

Sniff:
A mountain of sherry and dried fruit. Behind that, a lot of barley and rather sweet grain mash. Slightly earthy, with wet leaves and soil. Peaches and apricots. Dark toast too.

Sip:
The palate brings a bit of bite, with lots of dried fruits again. Peaches, apricots, some dried strawberries too. Apricot jam too, and sweet pastry notes too.

Swallow:
The finish has a bit of bitter almond-like note. Still quite earthy, but a nice combination of sweet notes and a hint of bitterness.

A very interesting whisky that punches quite a bit above its weight. Not a stellar dram of which I now thoroughly regret not buying a bottle, but a very nice whisky. Also, I think it’s quite a diversion from what are their more prominent releases nowadays. There are the regular releases that are more in line with this one, but their ‘specials’ tend to pack a bit more punch. Still, lots of sherry, a bit of their signature character. Lovely stuff!

86/100