Review #514 - Blackadder Macduff Raw Cask 14 Year Single Cask
A distillery less commonly seen in single malt form - this is Macduff, located in the Speyside region of Scotland. It was built in 1960, and ownership currently resides with Bacardi via Dewar's; when it is bottled as single malt, it will often be under the brand Glen Deveron or The Deveron.
A small amount of this single malt also makes it to independent bottlers - this example comes from Blackadder, as a part of their Raw Cask series. These whiskies aren't chill filtered, aren't colored, and even contain some cask sediment; the goal is to leave the whisky as natural as possible.
The single cask in question was aged for 14 years in a hogshead, although they don't disclose the previous contents; based on the flavors in the bottle, we would guess that it's an ex-bourbon hogshead. The strength at the end of those 14 years is a potent 59.7% ABV.
Blackadder Macduff Raw Cask 14 Year Single Cask
Scotland/Speyside - Single Malt
Price: USD 164 (2025)
Age Statement: 14 Years
Strength: 59.7% ABV
Cask Makeup: Matured in a hogshead
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled November 16, 2007, bottled February 2022; cask no. 11281; 167 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 1 time; bottle 60% fill level at time of review. Tasted in a nosing glass, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Classic ex-bourbon unpeated single malt: hay, pears, lighter in complexion. There's a soft spice coming from candied ginger, but also sweetness from a strong honey note.
Palate: The mouthfeel is thick - amazing texture, very oily and viscous. Honey is strong, but also heather flowers, and there's a strong backbone of malty distillate. Oats bring some more grain notes, but there's also a crisp light fruit side.
Finish: Malty, with lots of honey again - that's a dominant flavor across the tasting. Light floral notes linger with some drying oak; in the aftertaste, it's vanilla and white pepper.
Final Note: Relatively straightforward, but this is quite nice - a solid ex-bourbon single malt, nothing too fancy. The place this really shines is the texture - heavy distillate, extremely oily, and it lingers for a while in the finish.
Value isn't too great, though - this is an expensive bottle. Blackadder is known for their high quality bottlings, and their prices often match that reputation - that's the case, here.
Our Average Rating: 7.5 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.48
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
