Dalmore 25 Years Old 1990 (Single Cask)

Scotland's oldest independent bottler Cadenhead's bottled this Dalmore, a 25 year old, distilled in 1990, bottled at 56.3%, one of 474 bottles. Dalmore is a rich, marmalade and dark chocolate Highland single malt of real opulence. Much of its sherry comes from aged Oloroso casks, the Matusalem, Apostoles and Amoroso butts of Gonzalez Byass.

The spirit was run through the distillery's unusual flat topped and water jacketed stills, to build a rich, sherry loving character. Maturation in an Oloroso butt laid dried fruit, treacle and dark chocolate over the oily malt. At this evaporative stage ellagitannins lend a drying structure while oxidation builds a richer, darker fruit. The full bodied make rewards a long, sherried maturation in good wood. Years in oak round the spirit, the fruit deepening to chocolate, marmalade and treacle. Water comes from the River Averon, drawn from Loch Morie in the hills above.

At 56.3%, undiluted, it is deep and fruity. A rich, sherried sweetness, with dried fruit, chocolate and orange from the cask. Soft orange and a treacly malt sit behind the cask. The close is long, fruit over a rich sherry. This is one of the Highlands' most opulent single malts.