Littlemill has announced a new annual series of expressions, the Cask Reflections Collection, which draws on the remaining whisky from Scotland’s oldest licensed distillery.
The first release, Cask Reflections Release No.1, has been aged for 33 years and was initially stored in refill bourbon barrels, followed by a four-month finish in Japanese Mizunara oak casks.
The result is described as a fusion of flavours from different eras: a fragrant whisky carefully rich in sandalwood spice, completing the floral elderflower and fruit of the Lowland malt.
Founded in 1772 in Bowling, West Dunbartonshire, Littlemill closed in 1994 before it was lost to a fire in 2004. Since then, its remaining casks have been under the care of Michael Henry, master blender at Loch Lomond Group, owner of Littlemill.
Commenting on the whisky’s finish, Henry said: “Mizunara oak takes time to grow and only yields a small amount of wood annually. Like Littlemill, it is rare. The staves are thick and porous, imparting flavour at a much greater pace, which requires my keenest attention and care to ensure the finish doesn’t overpower what would have been the distillery character.
“The stakes are high when you’re responsible for a liquid this finite, but the result is an exquisite start to this journey of Cask Reflections – one that I feel very fortunate to be able to undertake on behalf of those who came before me.”
Only 570 bottles of Cask Reflections Release No.1 are available worldwide, priced at £3,800.
Bottled at cask strength, the liquid (49.1% ABV, natural colour) is presented in a traditional Littlemill-style decanter from Glencairn Crystal, and housed in a wooden display box with etchings inspired by Japanese art.
