Dailuaine 15 Years Old 2001 Meadowsweet Mint (Wemyss)

From the bottler Wemyss Malts, a 15 year old Dailuaine, distilled in 2001, bottled at 46%, one of 359 bottles. Dailuaine, founded in 1852, gave Scotch its first pagoda roofed kiln. It had its own railway siding and a little locomotive, Dailuaine No.1, known as the Puggy.

The spirit was run through the distillery's big copper stills, for a big, full Speyside spirit. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, the wood adding vanilla and a soft honey. Through oxidative maturity esters concentrate, fruit turning to dried fruit over a rich, malty body. A first fill sherry cask suits the robust spirit, dried fruit meeting the meaty weight. Most of its make goes to blending, with a Flora and Fauna sixteen year old the regular single malt. Maturation in the cool north east keeps the rich spirit balanced over the years. Dailuaine's heavy, malty make is prized by blenders for the body it gives. Its big stills give a heavy, full bodied spirit that takes sherry wood especially well.

Reduced to 46%, it is mellow. A rich, full bodied sweetness, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A dried fruit and a malty depth give it weight. A long, full finish carries a savoury depth. This is Dailuaine, a backbone of the great blends.