Dailuaine 11 Years Old 2004 Cask #DMG 10942 (Douglas McGibbon)

From the bottler Douglas McGibbon, an 11 year old Dailuaine, distilled in 2004, from cask DMG 10942, bottled at 46%. Dailuaine is a robust Speyside distillery at Carron, making a full bodied malt mostly for blends. It passed to DCL and Scottish Malt Distillers in the 1920s and was later modernised.

Drawn off three wash and three spirit stills, for a big, full Speyside spirit. A refill bourbon hogshead held it, keeping the rich character to the fore. In integration lactones (coconut) and vanillin (vanilla) knit with the malt, fruit deepening to dried fruit. Years in oak round the spirit, the fruit deepening to dried fruit and a savoury spice. Maturation in the cool north east keeps the rich spirit balanced over the years. A first fill sherry cask suits the robust spirit, dried fruit meeting the meaty weight. It had its own railway siding and a little locomotive, Dailuaine No.1, known as the Puggy.

At 46% it is clean and soft. A rich, full bodied sweetness, with a soft vanilla from the oak. The mouthfeel is heavy, the fruit carried on a meaty, malty body. It finishes robust, malty and warm. This is Dailuaine, a backbone of the great blends.