Dailuaine 13 Years Old 2008 (Hart Brothers)

A Dailuaine of a 13 year old chosen by the bottler Hart Brothers, distilled in 2008, bottled at 52.7%. Dailuaine is the rich, malty Speyside single malt that helped build the Johnnie Walker blends. It passed to DCL and Scottish Malt Distillers in the 1920s and was later modernised.

The spirit was run through the distillery's big copper stills, building the heavy Dailuaine style. An Amontillado cask gave a dry, nutty, almond edge. By the integrating teens congeners fade and esters build, the rich, full bodied spirit growing rounder. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and coconut over the meaty malt. The rich, full bodied spirit takes cask flavour well, especially sherry wood. It sits near Aberlour, in the heart of Speyside by the River Spey. Water comes from the Bailliemullich Burn, the spirit drawn off three wash and three spirit stills. A fire in 1917 destroyed the maltings, and the distillery was rebuilt soon after.

At cask strength 52.7% it is full bodied. A heavy, malty fruitiness, with plum, red berry and chocolate from the cask. A baked fruit and a warm spice lift it. The finish is long, rich and savoury. This is Dailuaine's heavy, meaty Speyside style.