Littlemill 45 Year Old The Vanguards Collection No.1 Robert Muir Bottle & Miniature - 50.5% 75cl

Between Littlemill’s founding and its lamentable closure, a remarkable story took place.

It is a legacy defined by unsung heroes and trailblazers at Littlemill’s helm – a series of vanguards of their time, who were quietly overturning traditions and their mark on the distillery and its contemporaries.

Drawing on the very last of Littlemill’s oldest and rarest reserves, The Vanguards Collection is a four-part annual series celebrating these remarkable individuals and their untold stories.

Each release is expertly undertaken with a kindred spirit and artist, paying homage to the craft of the Vanguards and the remarkable precious drops they have left behind for a very fortunate few to own.

This is the first chapter in the Vanguards Collection which takes us back to where it all began... and the momentous words of the first licence in history, granted to Robert Muir of Littlemill, that would officiate the craft of whisky distilling for quite possibly the very first time.

Distilled on the 11th of October in 1977, this exceptional 45-year-old whisky came from Littlemill’s patented straight-neck copper pot hybrid stills, designed by its engineers and scientists in the early 1900’s.

The careful selection and finishing of this very special release embodies the true Littlemill character. It’s intriguing to think that this whisky was chosen to be kept back and gently matured thereafter in refill American Oak for four decades, before being selected and re-casked for a final five-year finish in first-fill Oloroso Sherry hogsheads.

This traditional choice of finishing wood is meticulously documented in the distillery’s records, and complements the delicate floral nature of this summertime, Lowland single malt whisky. Natural in colour and cask strength, only 250 bottles of this rare piece of history exist... for a very fortunate few to own.

Nose: Honey, elderflower, pineapple, kiwi, roasted hazelnuts, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Palate: Silk like mouthfeel, melted brown sugar, vanilla, crème brûlée, crisp apple, ripe pear, freshly squeezed lime juice, dried fruit – sultana and citrus peel.

Finish: Long with notes of grilled grapefruit and sweet caramelised sugars, all balanced with sharp citrus.