Dailuaine 10 Years Old JE (James Eadie) (46%)

The revived blender James Eadie bottled this Dailuaine, a 10 year old, from cask 307072 + 313778, bottled at 46%, one of 754 bottles. Dailuaine is the rich, malty Speyside single malt that helped build the Johnnie Walker blends. Its big stills give a heavy, full bodied spirit that takes sherry wood especially well.

The spirit was made in large copper stills for a rich, robust make, for a big, full Speyside spirit. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak quiet behind the meaty malt. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin settling into vanilla as ethyl esters lend a riper orchard fruit over the meaty malt. Refill oak lets the robust Dailuaine character lead, malt and dried fruit beneath. A first fill sherry cask suits the robust spirit, dried fruit meeting the meaty weight. It sits near Aberlour, in the heart of Speyside by the River Spey. Its rich, robust malt has long been a backbone of the Johnnie Walker blends.

At 46% it is clean and soft. A heavy, malty fruitiness, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A baked fruit and a warm spice lift it. The finish is deep, rich and savoury. This is the rich, full bodied Speyside malt of Dailuaine.