DAFTMILL - Vintage 2010 - Winter Release - 46%
Daftmill is an iconic family farm located in the prestigious Howe of Fife, in the heart of the Lowlands in Scotland. This renowned farm produces a wide range of crops, including carrots, broccoli, potatoes, while primarily cultivating fine cereals such as high-quality brewing barley, and raising premium beef cattle. In June 2003, Francis and Ian Cuthbert began constructing an innovative distillery by converting the old buildings of their traditional mill. From 2004 to the end of 2005, restoration work and installation of artisanal distillation equipment were carried out with the expertise of local craftsmen around Cupar. This project gave birth to a unique distillery, featuring a main still of 3,000 liters and a second of 2,000 liters, as well as a mash tun supplied by the prestigious coppersmith Forsyths in Rothes. The first Daftmill whisky was distilled on December 16, 2005, making this distillery the newest to open in Scotland at that time, with its first bottlings dating back to May 2018.
What distinguishes Daftmill is its deeply artisanal and local approach: the whisky is made exclusively with barley grown on-site and pure water from its own natural well. Production operates on a unique seasonal cycle aligned with the farm's agricultural work. During winter, when farming activities slow down, Francis and Ian devote themselves entirely to distillation. Then in spring, they resume barley sowing, potato planting, and cattle grazing. In mid-summer, during a break in agricultural work, distillation resumes in June and July before another pause for the harvest. This seasonal production method, once common in Scotland, is now exceptional and gives Daftmill a small annual output limited to about 100 casks, ensuring a rare and exceptional character.
The barley selected for this vintage is the Publican barley variety, grown on a plot of about 17 hectares and meticulously harvested on August 28 and 29, 2009. This barley was then dried and stored on the farm before being malted in Alloa during summer 2010. This exceptional whisky comes from 25 first-fill American oak ex-Bourbon casks, filled in November and December 2010, then carefully matured in the warehouse adjacent to the farm until bottling in 2023.
Non-Peated – pure and authentic single malt whisky
