Millstone 19 Years Old Special #9 Oloroso Sherry 49.4% 1996

Professional reviews

Words of Whisky (89)

Courtesy of Govert Pennings:

Color: Auburn

Nose
An intense, sweet, rich and full whisky with aromas of coffee liqueur (Kahlua), bitter walnuts, hazelnuts, lush sherry, dried fruits (plums, dates, figs, apricots, raisins), chocolate, cherries, vanilla, dark honey, toffee, butterscotch, red apples, pear, berries (cranberries, raspberries, elderberries), subtle sulphur, sweet backing spices (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, allspice), roasted coffee beans, beeswax, sweet tobacco, hint of new leather, old books, sticky toffee pudding, a subtle savory tone of Master Stock, bitter tea and creamy oak.

Taste
A powerful, intense, rich, sirupy and full whisky with aromas of lush sherry, molasses, tannins, spicy oak, pepper, espresso, bitter chocolate, grape seeds, wet rope, dried fruits (apricots, plums, figs, peach, raisins) old bitter tea, backing spices (cinnamon, allspice, clove, nutmeg, ginger), cocoa powder, backed apples, grapes, nectarines, walnut, saw dust, cedarwood, mahogany, burned caramel, dark forest honey, floral tones, new leather, tobacco leafs, a subtle savory tone, hint of sea salt, bitter orange marmalade, stewed pear and creamy oak.

Finish
A long, rich and drying finish with aromas of oak, tannins, grape seeds, dried fruits, backing spices, cedarwood, dark forest honey, cocoa powder, orange zest and more oak.

Comments
This whisky in 3 words: delicious, lush and brilliant! What a great dram, not the big overpowering sulphury sherry bomb you might expect. No the flavours are much more sophisticated and intricate. This dram needs some time to open-up but once it’s open the flavours are lush and well layered. The mouthfeel of this whisky is quite sirupy and thick. the subtle savory flavours (on the nose as well as on the palate) are a welcome surprise amongst all the lush sweet sherry driven aromas.
All in all a superb Dutch single malt, well done Zuidam Distiller! Chapeau!