Origin: Highlands (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 46.9%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Bourbon, ex-Sherry and ex-Wine
Chillfiltered: No
Added coloring: No
Owner: Emperador Inc. (Whyte & Mackay Ltd.)
Average price: € 390.00
Official website: www.thedalmore.com
You had to wait for a vintage in the glass to meet a Dalmore with a finally robust alcohol level!
Born in 2021 at the initiative of Gregg Glass (whisky maker), Richard Paterson (master distiller), and Margaret Nicol (Dalmore custodian), the Vintage Collection annually offers two special bottlings that focus on the vintage rather than the years of ageing, each time following a different theme under which the casks for the new edition are selected around November.
In 2022, the theme was “warm honey spice,” and the vintages chosen were from 2007 and 2003. The latter, tasted today, features a blend of ex-bourbon casks and finishing in ex-sherry Matusalem and Amoroso casks, as well as ex-sweet wine Rivesaltes, for a total of eighteen years of maturation.
Tasting Notes
The nose immediately shows a slightly old school character, reminiscent of those dusty and gritty sherried of the past, with notes of mold, earth, and mineral hints that define the red variations of ageing. The color is not dominant but is integrated with the yellow from the bourbon, blending blackberries, blueberries, blood orange, grapefruit, candied fruits (tropical and citrus), ailanthus honey, toffee, and spicy tones (cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric). An elegant concert of aromas, pleasantly retro.
Peppery with menthol traces on the palate, where the notes of black pepper, ginger, and a pinch of paprika play against citrus (orange, chinotto, grapefruit) and red fruits, with lively fizzy notes that the balsamic freshness gives a youthful twist. Less dense and fleshy than one might expect, it maintains the balance between sweet and bitter, although with less evolution and depth than on the nose, featuring more familiar hints of licorice, coffee, caramel, and vegetal nuances in the finish.
Finale of medium length, highlighting the bitter aspects of spices, red fruits, citrus, vegetal notes, and balsamic hints.
Review: The nose is truly stunning, with an elegance and depth that is almost moving, but unfortunately, this does not hold up in the tasting, where it leaves behind much of its substance, following well-trodden paths.
Vote: 86/100