Daftmill 15yo Cask Strength 2007

Set in the heart of Fife, they use their own barley, grown at Daftmill Farm, and sparkling water from their own artesian well to produce the finest of malt whiskies.

Daftmill is situated in the Howe of Fife near to the Bow of Fife. Part of the Pitlair Estate, it sits in the fertile valley of the River Eden in the Parish of Collessie.

The Barony of Pitlair at one time covered large areas of Fife. Although now much reduced people have been living and farming here for thousands of years. Just along the road is a Pictish standing stone from the 6th or 7th century with carving depicting a naked warrior with spear and large shield – probably one of the lads the Romans were wary of!

Daftmill is a family farm situated in the Howe of Fife. The farms main enterprises are growing cereals, mainly malting barley, rearing beef cattle and growing potatoes. The farm also produces carrots and broccoli.

In June 2003 Daftmill applied for planning permission to convert the old mill buildings into a distillery. It took most of 2004 and 2005 to repair the buildings and install all the equipment. By St Andrews day 2005 when they received their licence from Revenue and Customs they were ready to start distilling.

Other than the stills and the mash tun which came from coppersmiths Forsyths in Rothes, all the other equipment and work to convert the buildings and create the distillery was supplied by local craftsmen from around the Cupar area.

In the distillery, Daftmill use the barley that they grow on the farm and water from their own artesian well to make the whisky.

The distillery operates in harmony with the farm. The farm grows the barley then after it is mashed in the spent grains or draff provide a nutritious protein rich feed for the cattle. The pot ale and spent lees, that’s the left overs from the distillation, are stored in a large tank on the farm then sprayed onto the grass or barley stubble as a fertiliser. The warm water that has been used to cool the stills is either kept to be used for the next mash or it is pumped into the duck pond where any heat is lost. It also helps stop the pond from freezing over in the Winter.

The distillery has to operate on a seasonal basis around the farming calendar. During the winter months when things are not so busy on the farm we make whisky but by spring time we need to get the barley sown, potatoes planted and cattle out to grass so the distillery falls silent. In mid-summer there is a lull in the farm work, and they distil in June and July before shutting down again for harvest time. Operating like this was once the norm but has not been seen in Scotland for the last 100 years.

15yo Cask Strength 2007

The malt used for this whisky comes from the Optic barley variety. This was a staple in the Scotch whisky industry for several years.

They distilled the thirteen casks in this bottling in January or August 2007, using first-fill ex-bourbon barrels. We matured them in the upper level of the warehouse and bottled them in July 2023 at the traditional Fife strength.

Tasting Notes

Nose: The richness of a slightly more mature age is apparent, with a biscuity sweetness, subtle waxy notes, and a more complex herbal profile including bay leaf, lemon thyme, and verbena. There are also richer notes such as chamois leather and grassy olive oil. Adding water reveals more lemon oil notes, slight medicinal influences, and pine sap.

Palate: Grassy and waxy with hints of old-school shilling ales, barley extract, and mineral oils. The texture is noticeably fatter compared to younger Daftmills, with a more pronounced rich and spicy wood influence. With water, it becomes more herbal, oilier in texture, and retains flavours of sweet beers, toffee apple, and wood spices.

Finish: Good length, with a nice balance of sappiness, spice, herbal notes, and oiliness.