Littlemill 21 yo 1991 Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask #9822 vs Littlemill 22 yo 1992 Hunter Laing Old & Rare #10882
This is one closed distillery whose quality is such that we are truly left bemoaning its closing. Those who were around some 5 years ago might remember the batches of early 90s Littlemill that found their way to the independents. Thankfully there are many yet around to pick from.
Littlemill 21 yo 1991 Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask #9822 50%
Nose: We should be used to the early 90s Littlemill style by now. It’s one of the juicy fruity ones that also comes with loud ex-bourbon notes. So peanut brittle, thin leather, cracking toffee and sweet vanilla cream, but also a juicy warm pulp with aromatic yellow and red fruit skins. Comes with a bit of black oak char as well.
Palate: Lots of sweet oaky notes and caramel. Bits of dessicated coconut, and sawdust, heaps of it. Then the leathery toffee notes and we are left assuaged with the merest sense of fruity freshness – it’s all weighed down by the oak. Bit of pencil shavings now. Very active oak.
Finish: Long, and now fruitiness surges forth in the finish, which given the cask is in itself amazing. In summary undone by the loud oak I think.
Littlemill 22 yo 1992 Hunter Laing Old & Rare #10882 53.8%
Nose: And this one goes the other direction and is instead redolent of forest greens, broken branches and wet moss. Add warm minerals like hot chalk. It’s got some citrus juice in it too. No this one is outstanding, with a constant back and forth between the fresh forest greens, the hot chalk and the warm zest of mandarins and grapefruit juice. The zinging tension between these elements is fantastic.
Palate: Yes, a dynamic tension tugs at the heart of this whisky, but never going far one way or the other. The wet earthy forest greens take centre stage at first but the warm zesty juice elbows it aside eventually, add flashes of hot chalk and what must be burning magnesium if it was at all possible. Just brilliant whisky.
Finish: Long, slightly metallic, somewhat acidic, drops of oxalic.
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