Dalmore 12 Years Old (40% Italy)

A 12 year old Dalmore, a distillery bottling, at 40%. Dalmore is a Whyte and Mackay distillery known for its opulent, dried fruit rich style. Much of its sherry comes from aged Oloroso casks, the Matusalem, Apostoles and Amoroso butts of Gonzalez Byass.

The spirit was made in copper stills whose water jackets give a heavy make, building the luscious Dalmore style. A bourbon barrel held it, vanilla and a marmalade citrus over the oily malt. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin settling into vanilla as ethyl esters lend a riper orange and dried fruit. Refill oak lets the full bodied Dalmore character lead, orange and dried fruit beneath. Long ageing turns the fresh orange towards marmalade, dark chocolate, coffee and a warm spice. The distillery was founded in 1839 by Alexander Matheson on the Cromarty Firth at Alness. The rich, oily spirit takes cask flavour superbly, especially aged sherry wood.

At 40% it is gentle, sweet and fruity. A full, dried fruit richness, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A dried fruit and a chocolate depth give it weight. Dried fruit, orange and a treacly oak see out the finish. This is Dalmore's opulent, chocolate orange Highland style.