Dalmore The Portfolio Series No.2

Dalmore from the distillery, at 46%, 2000 bottles in all. Dalmore sits above the Cromarty Firth, its water jacketed stills building a thick, oily spirit. The Dalmore range climbs to some of the oldest and most expensive whiskies in the world.

The spirit was worked through flat topped and water jacketed stills for a rich, oily spirit, for a full, opulent Highland spirit. It was matured in refill ex-Bourbon oak, vanilla and a soft orange behind the rich spirit. Without an age statement, vanillin sweetness and a chocolate orange depth point to good years in oak. The cool Highland air on the firth gives a slow, even maturation. An aged Oloroso cask suits the rich spirit, dried fruit and chocolate meeting the oily weight. Long ageing turns the fresh orange towards marmalade, dark chocolate, coffee and a warm spice. The full bodied make rewards a long, sherried maturation in good wood.

At 46% it is clean and soft. Orange, treacle and a warm spice, with a soft vanilla from the oak. The mouthfeel is heavy, the fruit carried on a rich, malty body. The finish is deep, sherried and dark. This is Dalmore's opulent, chocolate orange Highland style.