Dalmore 11 Years Old 2012 Single Cask Cask Strength (Hart Brothers)

An 11 year old Dalmore from the Glasgow bottler Hart Brothers, distilled in 2012, bottled at 55.6%. Dalmore, on the firth at Alness, makes one of the most luscious, sherried malts in the Highlands. The distillery stands on the firth near Alness, in the Northern Highlands.

The spirit was run through the distillery's unusual flat topped and water jacketed stills, for the rich, full bodied make Dalmore is known for. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, the wood adding vanilla and a soft honey. In integration lactones (coconut) and vanillin (vanilla) knit with the sherry, fruit deepening to chocolate and orange. The rich, oily spirit takes cask flavour superbly, especially aged sherry wood. The Royal Stag style is built on rich spirit and deep sherry wood. Most expressions are finished in aged sherry wood, giving orange, chocolate and treacle. Dalmore's sherry comes largely from the aged Oloroso casks of Gonzalez Byass.

At cask strength 55.6% it is full bodied. Dried fruit, orange and a treacly malt, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Beneath it run orange, dark chocolate and dried fruit. The finish runs rich, fruity and warm. This is a rich, full bodied Highland single malt.