1996 American Oak 20yo | 51.45% ABV

The Dark Horse That Everyone Needs To Ride

Perhaps I should amend that slightly click-baitey title, sorry: Millstone is a malt whisky that malt lovers need to try along their whisky journey. 

The single cask expression that is the focus of this review, and other single malts from Millstone, were instrumental in my whisky journey, fueling my adventure to explore malts outside the Scotland bubble. Sorry for the slight title deception, but I’m Canadian after all and apologising for minor trespasses is part of our cultural DNA. 

So who and what is Millstone for those unfamiliar with this moniker? Zuidam Distillers in the Netherlands, a family owned and operated distillery since its inception some 50 years ago by Fred van Zuidam, distills various genevers, gins, rums, ryes, and liqueurs under various brand names. Millstone is the name given to Zuidam’s malt whiskies, a passion of Fred’s son Patrick who handles the head distiller reins, first beginning full-scale production in 1998 and releasing their first single malt in 2007. Now pardon the geekery for a delicious malty minute while we appreciate some of the technical aspects of Zuidam’s operation. Let’s take it in chronological order, shall we?

The Zuidam’s grow most of their barley on their farm or from farmers nearby. While malting occurs off-site, they use windmills and traditional stones to grind the malted barley (hence ‘Millstone’), ensuring the barley flour temperatures stay low to maximise flavours. Fermentation is conducted in temperature-controlled fermenters for 5-7 days typically using equal parts English ale and distillers yeast. Zuidam has been using up to seven different yeasts during fermentation for some time now, only something the more adventurous large-scale producers are beginning to explore. Distillation occurs in small batches through their two 8,500 litre and one 2,000 litre hand-formed copper pot stills. Very much in the craft-sized distillery vein, the daily workflow processes around 5.5 tons of barley, yielding 3,700 litre of double-distilled new make at the 60% ABV barreling strength. Total production has resulted in over 11,000 barrels maturing in their warehouses. 

Speaking of barrels, American Oak barrels and 500 litre sherry butts are the primary maturation vessels of choice. Now this is where the train leaves the rails, as they say, as Millstone prefers to deviate from the norm of our modern bright, fresh, and fruity seasoned sherry barrels but would rather utilise ex-bodega casks. Patrick often buys entire soleras or their retirees at a time, yielding barrels soaked in sumptuous, velvety, oxidised sherry goodness. Given the relatively small production of Millstone, these barrels play an integral role in their releases as they rely significantly less on the more commonplace seasoned barrels of the Scottish whisky force majeure. This perhaps explains the deeper, darker, and more traditional flavours that I often hear described by well-traveled palates and aficionados that exclaim sherried whiskies of yesteryear are far more intriguing than today’s sherried malts. 

Some may complain about the packaging, that it is rather dated, old-school, or plain, however I believe it uniquely represents the Dutch people. Looking at Dutch designers and architects for inspiration, one can easily see the similarities in bottle and label design. Straight angular features and use of strongly coloured straight lines results in a characteristic and recognisable label, free of pomp, fluff, or marketing BS, evocative of Bauhaus design aesthetics. It clearly states what it is and is not and lets the nectar inside do the talking. Windmills pay homage to their unique milling process, the absence of chill filtering or colouring is clearly identified, and batch information is typically displayed, even for their core releases. This is quite the antithesis to some modern major branding efforts, where evocative names or supple words are given to describe a beverage made of simple ingredients. I mean, have you ever read the back label of Deanston Virgin Oak, where almost every delectable tasting note is inscribed? It must be the most fantastical liquid, prized by those few who would be lucky to suckle the last dribbles from the bottle. Again keeping with the minimalist Nordic theme, and in stark contrast to the Deanston, this 20 year old whisky utilises eight descriptive notes for the nose, palate, and finish! It begs you to pop the cork and explore for yourself, leaving any fanciful descriptors to be arrived at by yourself, at your own speed, and based on your own experiences. No fluff indeed. 

Ahem, apologies for letting my nerdy factual and sometimes jaded side out there. So let’s recap: Mostly local barley? Check. Multiple yeast strains? Check. Temperature controlled fermentation? Check. Small production? Check. Ex-solera sherry casks? Check. Non-chill filtered and natural colour? Check. Clear no-nonsense labelling? Check. Yep, sounds good so far. 

So what about Millstone and why does it speak to me? I stumbled across Millstone through two avenues: being whisky adventurous and a local whisky podcast (Lost in Dramslation podcast by the Park Whiskey Society) that mentioned that Millstone was an uncommon but worthwhile exploration, owing to Patrick’s knowledge and use of sherry casks. I enjoy finding hidden gems of distilleries and being afflicted by the arch-nemesis of whisky lovers everywhere; the nefarious gout, my tastes are often very selective, preferring quality over quantity. If I like the whisky and find the experience intriguing or unique, it stays on the shelf. If it is an average whisky, does not provide a unique experience, or is not a good value for that experience compared to others, it gets sold to friends at a discount who get to try the liquid inside before purchasing. It’s a win-win system that ensures a healthy flow of whisky on and off my palate. It’s a ruthlessly simple formula, ensuring the crème de la crème of whisky experiences are at my fingertips. 

So with my safety net of whisky-loving friends in my back pocket, off I went to find my first Millstone on the advice of people who I have never met but trusted anyways. Stumbling into my local stores, I first spied their Peated PX core range release. Being a fan of sherried peated whisky, and being priced well enough that it was not going to break the bank, things were shaping up well off the get-go. What I didn’t know was that I had just purchased something which would completely blow me away and would set me on a path to try more malts from around the world and from this small distillery 1.5 hours south of Amsterdam. It had a density and complexity that belied its age (4-5 years if the ‘ole memory box works), with consistent and unique flavours that did not fade as the bottle level quickly dropped. It tasted nothing like some small-scale craft whiskies do, for it was polished, refined, hefty, and had a certain aesthetic of quality about it that can only come with experience and attention to detail. As I worked my way past the shoulder, it had me thinking that my well-loved pirate, the Oogie, would have some stiff competition. In the end, the Millstone and Ardbeg ended up being more like estranged siblings; similar in appearance but very different in personality. One was brash and slightly angry in a ruggedly handsome way, while the other was sweet, quiet, and would bring flowers to their grandma while wearing a smoky flannel shirt. 

The Millstone became the “try this” or “can you believe it isn’t Scottish” whisky I gregariously glugged to my peaty whisky loving friends. The depth and old-school flavours were a resounding hit, with some likening the whisky to sitting back in an old leather chair while lighting up their favourite pipe with a sweet raisiny tobacco. I was hooked. Even though it used Scottish peated malt, it was completely different from Islay, Island, or Highland peated whiskies. Being the whisky-adventurous spirit that I am, I had to have more. Several peated Millstones later, each a resounding smash hit, I decided to plunge into the deep end with a splurge purchase of a distillery-released unpeated single cask destined solely for Canada. Read on for that particular whisky, but if I have impressed upon you the need to locate some Millstones, please do so before the Millstone secret gets out.

Review

Millstone 1996 20 Year Old Virgin American Oak, Cask 1376, 51.45%
CA$250 (£160) limited availability

So after reading my unabashed letter about Millstone, and the scoring at the beginning of this article, it should be of no surprise to you that I fancy this whisky. The entire cask yielded only 287 bottles at cask strength. It was distilled in October of 1996 and bottled in July of 2017. For those of you good at mental arithmetic, rather than waiting another 3 months to obtain another almighty year for the age statement wars, the bung was pulled and whisky bottled at presumably its peak. To me, this speaks to the integrity of Patrick and his team, focussing on the quality on the inside of the bottle rather than the meaningless numerical indicator scribed to the front parchment. This is not a flash in the pan whisky, it coats your mouth and glass, ensuring its dark amber secrets are revealed over time. It’s a whisky I savour on rare occasions and has earned its spot on my curated shelves.

Nose

The nose is a bit tight on this one, even after having cracked the bottle to enjoy this treat nearly a year before writing this review. Pushing past your initial olfactory inquiries and with some breathing time, you are rewarded with a complex mingling of fruits, cinnamon, and vanilla. If you let your mind wander, jujube candies atop a vanilla pastry can be easily conjured in your mind's eye. It’s well integrated but like any good card player, this whisky does not show its full hand before the main event.

Palate

In stark contrast to the nose, there is an intensity and density of flavours here that is hard to wade through. At first sip, your taste buds are slammed through the same g’s as Tom Cruise in Top Gun, wrenching them from intense fruit to barrel spice to being covered in saliva from your subconscious telling you that you need more of this dark and delicious substance. It is only after your second, third, …, tenth sip that you elucidate the brilliance that is Millstone and this whisky. The tropical fruits of apricot, mango, and hints of candied pineapple hit first and are sustained through the dram, followed by charred orange peel and toasty/roasty notes that arrive like flack, bursting on your tongue.

The Dregs

With successive sips, the virgin American Oak impact can be elucidated. It provides a deft touch to this whisky, filling in those little gaps between the fruity and unctuous roasty notes with teases of vanilla and mild oaky tannins. The 51.45% cask strength brings enough background pepper tingle to remind yourself that you aren’t drinking a watered down supermarket bottle; here, yet again, the ABV it works in tandem with the fruit-forward flavours and mild barrel impact, elevating the whole experience with subtle bite and a delicious velvety texture that most well-aged cask strength whiskies can seemingly achieve. It’s not oily like some Campbelltown’s, nor is it a Speyside delicate flower and a Highland fruit salad. Millstone, and this whisky if you are lucky to try it, is a unique experience that everyone needs to try at some point during their whisky journey. 

The finish is long, pleasant, and darkly sweet, ensuring you savour this dram for several minutes to come. Some could say that there is a waxiness that ensures the tropical fruit and toastiness remain firmly entrenched in your tastebuds for seemingly forever; however it is not the same waxiness you would find in your ‘typical’ waxy whisky’s primarily matured in 2nd filled American oak (aka, first fill bourbon and Clynelish). It is a darker waxy-oily substance, perhaps toasted coconut oil and paraffin wax from birthday candles dipped in vanilla frosting that alters the waxy experience sufficiently that you are perplexed and curious at the same time. 

This whisky is all about the palate and finish. While the nose is nice, it takes some coaxing and patience. Once you have forgone the obligatory sniff test, the explosive tropical fruit notes are wonderfully enhanced by the American Oak, providing a density and complexity of flavours that would be difficult to find on most drammer’s whisky shelves. In the spirit of objectivity, this is not an everyday whisky. It is complex, demanding, and punchy; attributes that will appeal to some and not others. I adore a good 2nd fill ex-bourbon or refill sherry whisky where the lighter flavours and spirit-driven character shine through (love me some ex-bourbon Linkwood!), but when I want to explore some deeper and darker flavours that wrap me in a warm fuzzy blanket on a blustery day, Millstone and this single cask example seem to fill that desire. My only wish is that this was a year-over-year limited release whisky from Millstone so that whisky adventurists could have more chances to try this magical elixir and others from this gem of a distillery. Proost!

Score: 8/10

Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. BB

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