Dailuaine 11 Years Old 2011 Cask #302661/64/69/73/79/80 (Wilson & Morgan)

This Dailuaine was bottled by the Italian bottler Wilson and Morgan, an 11 year old, distilled in 2011, from cask 302661/64/69/73/79/80, bottled at 46%, one of 1812 bottles. Dailuaine is the rich, malty Speyside single malt that helped build the Johnnie Walker blends. It passed to DCL and Scottish Malt Distillers in the 1920s and was later modernised.

The spirit was worked through the big stills for a meaty, malty spirit, building the heavy Dailuaine style. An Oloroso hogshead lent fig, raisin and a savoury, nutty depth, the heavy spirit soaking it up. Integration folds eugenol (clove) and vanillin (vanilla) into the malt, the heavy body fuller and richer. Long ageing turns the fresh fruit towards dried fruit, fig, leather and a warm spice. A fire in 1917 destroyed the maltings, and the distillery was rebuilt soon after. It had its own railway siding and a little locomotive, Dailuaine No.1, known as the Puggy.

At 46% it is gentle, sweet and fruity. A heavy, malty fruitiness, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Dried fruit, malt and a savoury spice fill the middle. The close is long, fruit over a rich malt. This is a full bodied Speyside single malt of real depth.