Dalmore The Stillman’s Dram 24 Years Old 1980

A 24 year old Dalmore, a distillery bottling, from 1980, at 45%. Dalmore is the Highland malt of the Royal Stag, rich with orange, chocolate and sherry. Its long time master distiller Richard Paterson, known as The Nose, shaped the rich house style.

It was run through the distillery's unusual flat topped and water jacketed stills, for the rich, full bodied make Dalmore is known for. A refill bourbon hogshead held it, keeping the rich character to the fore. Through the evaporative decades the spirit concentrates, esters folding into dried fruit, chocolate and a warm spice. Dalmore's sherry comes largely from the aged Oloroso casks of Gonzalez Byass. The thick spirit shows the sherry clearly, dried fruit and orange over a malty depth. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the rich, sherried core over the years. Its flat topped wash stills and water jacketed spirit stills build a thick, rich, oily spirit.

At 45% it is smooth and honeyed. Orange, treacle and a warm spice, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Soft orange and a treacly malt sit behind the cask. The finish is long, rich and chocolatey. This is the Royal Stag malt of the Cromarty Firth.