By Alex Southgate
Rating: A
Halcyon Strathmill 28 Year Old Single Cask(Credit: Halcyon Spirits)
The folks over at Halcyon Spirits kindly sent me their latest offering to try, and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve already reviewed their fourth and fifth release, which was great. This being said, I was elated to see their newest expression, because this time it is a 28 Year Old single cask Strathmill.
Distilled back in 1996, this Strathmill was re-racked and finished in a fresh Oloroso Sherry hogshead in July of 2022, then bottled at a cask strength of 55.3% this July. This single cask expression has a very limited outturn of only 132 bottles. With such a limited number, this might be a perfect addition for the collectors amongst you.
The Scotch
This Strathmill 28 Year Old is an easy-pouring whisky and a beautiful, warm amber in the glass. The nose is packed with juicy raisin sweetness, which is matched with the warm, baked nuttiness of roasting wheat. The finish is smooth double cream. These scents make for a very inviting tipple, and I couldn’t wait for the taste.
This is a very fruit-forward whisky, and that unmistakable raisin flavor is the first thing that hits the palate on the taste. This raisin sweetness is cut by just a hint of anise and then smoothed out entirely with smooth, milk chocolate on the finish.
The Strathmill 28 Year Old is a beautifully smooth and fruity whisky. This is the sort of dangerous tipple that is a little but too easy to enjoy. Considering the limited number of bottles available and the cost, I would keep this for a special occasion. I can guarantee that when this bottle has been opened, it won’t last very long before it’s gone.
I haven’t had anything from Halycon Spirits to date that I haven’t liked, and this is another case where the Milne brothers have produced something magical. This is a must-try for those of you who like a smoother dram, and a bottle I would happily have in my collection given the chance.
The Price
As a limited-run product, the Strathmill 28 Year Old is coming in at £220 a bottle for those of us here in the UK.
