Dalmore 40 Years Old

Dalmore from the distillery, a 40 year old, from 1966, at 40%, 1000 bottles in all. Dalmore, on the firth at Alness, makes one of the most luscious, sherried malts in the Highlands. It is owned by Whyte and Mackay, and its King Alexander III bottling nods to the clan legend.

Drawn off stills whose cooling jackets build a rich, oily spirit, for a full, opulent Highland spirit. Maturation in an Oloroso butt laid dried fruit, treacle and dark chocolate over the oily malt. In its ethereal years the malt is deep and oxidative, faded esters and a touch of sotolon (maple, spice). An aged Oloroso cask suits the rich spirit, dried fruit and chocolate meeting the oily weight. The Royal Stag style is built on rich spirit and deep sherry wood. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and coconut over the rich malt. Much of its sherry comes from aged Oloroso casks, the Matusalem, Apostoles and Amoroso butts of Gonzalez Byass.

Reduced to 40%, it is mellow. Orange, treacle and a warm spice, with dried fruit, chocolate and orange from the cask. The texture is thick and oily, the fruit lifted by a rich sherry. It finishes rich, malty and warm. This is the Royal Stag malt of the Cromarty Firth.