Halcyon Spirits have become regulars on this blog since bursting onto the scene back in 2023 with a 30yo single cask Macallan (a seriously good opener for a first release). Since then they've worked their way through Auchentoshan, Clynelish, and Burnside, and further afield to Islay with a very tasty 17yo Caol Ila. Six releases in, and the quality has stayed consistent - no small feat for a relatively young Indie.
Strathmill isn't a distillery that gets much airtime (most of its output disappears into blends, with precious little bottled as a single malt) but it's a distillery I've had some nice releases from in the past (including a delicious 35yo 1983 vintage a few years back), so I was keen to see how this fared, especially with 3 years maturation in a fresh Oloroso Sherry hoggie under its belt.
It's funny, when I started to really get into whisky, most 12 year olds were from the late 1990s (or earlier)....and here we are not all that later (right!?) and we're looking at 28yo for a 1998-distilled whisky. Where did that time go?!
Halcyon Spirits Release #6 Strathmill Aged 28 Years (55.3% ABV, Single Malt, Cask #2053, 28yo, 1 of 132 bottles, Speyside, Scotland, £220)
Colour: Copper gold.
Nose: Herbal oak, a touch of grassiness, and red apple up front with vanilla undertones. After time, pear starts to creep in too.
Palate: Zingy and fresh, with vibrant sherry-soaked oak. Vanilla bean, apple, baked pear tart, and a little allspice. That fresh sherry character carries all the way through.
Finish: Long, creamy vanilla and pear.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100 (Martin). A genuinely lovely dram, and another strong showing from a bottler that keeps delivering.
Thanks Halcyon Spirits for the sample.
Cheers,
Martin.
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