Review 166: Littlemill 1990-2013 Berry's

 

Wooho! Time for another early 1990's Littlemill. This is another Berry Bros bottling - Cask Ref 17. The last Littlemill I reviewed was from Archives and was excellent (much better than one of the old OB's)! It's always bittersweet to taste good Littlemills since the distillery is no longer in existance.  :-(

Littlemill 1990-2013 Berry's

Color: Amber +0

ABV: 54.3%

Aroma Neat:
Sticky Pine Sap, Snickerdoodle Cookies, Vanilla Ice Cream/Toasted Coconut/Marshmallow Root, Butter/Vegetable Oil, Mashed Bananas, Cookie Dough, Dry Barley/Cereal Grains, Fresh Mash, Mulling Spice (cloves, dried orange peel).

The nose on this whisky is very nice indeed and not at all hot, even at nearly 55%. Just looking at the notes, you can see why Littlemills like this one are interesting and fun whiskies! It's a great mix of spirit and wood and changes a lot while it sits in the glass.

Aroma Water:
Light Wood Sugars/Syrup, Cedar Wood/Pine, Mashed Bananas/Mushed Coconut, Fresh Barley Mash, Pepper/Clove Oil, Snickerdoodle Cookies, Potpourri/Mulling Spice, Mineral Chalk, Vanilla, Butter.

A littler sweeter than neat originally, but still very much in the same ballpark.

Taste Neat:
Pine Tar, Coal Smoke (slightly), Fresh Peppermint, Camphor/Menthol, Bagged Green Tea with Honey, Sassafras Root, Marshmallow/Vanilla (slightly).

Very much like the similarly excellent Archrives bottling in my opinion: herbacious and woody.

Taste Water:
Spicy Oak, Pine Sap, Green Tea, Honey, Woody Vanilla/Barrel Char, Chlorophyll, Rootbeer/Cola(slightly), Peppermint/Pepper, Lemon/Lime Pith (very slightly), Soft Ash.

Finish:
Sappy/Tarry Wood (pine), Burnt Oak/Caramleized Wood Sugars, Spearmint Sprigs (toothpaste, in the best way!!!), Vanilla (slightly), Cut Grass, Honey.

Medium finish that leaves your tounge feeling prickly and refreshed.

Conclusion:
Vibrant palate that balances herby/piney notes with sweet vanilla and buttery grains.

Hebacious and very "green" palate that is intersting and fun. Lively is the word!

Refreshing finish!

Rating: 88/100

This and the Archives Littlemill are thrillingly aromatic whiskies. It's unfortunate that there will be no more Littlemill produced. I wish that I had a larger supply!

Josh