Dailuaine 12 Years Old 2010 (Phil & Simon Thompson)

From the bottler Phil & Simon Thompson, a 12 year old Dailuaine, distilled in 2010, bottled at 50%, one of 266 bottles. Dailuaine is a robust Speyside distillery at Carron, making a full bodied malt mostly for blends. In 1889 it became the first distillery to use the pagoda roof, the Doig Ventilator designed by Charles Doig.

The spirit was worked through the big stills for a meaty, malty spirit, for a rich, meaty make that suits sherry wood. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanilla beneath the robust, full bodied spirit. Integration folds eugenol (clove) and vanillin (vanilla) into the malt, the heavy body fuller and richer. The clean spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and fruit over a rich malt. The rich, full bodied spirit takes cask flavour well, especially sherry wood. The cool Speyside air gives a slow, even maturation, the heavy malt deepening.

At a hearty 50% it carries real weight. Orchard fruit, malt and a warm spice, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Beneath it run dried fruit, malt and a savoury edge. A full, malty finish ends on dried fruit and a warm spice. This is a rich, malty Speyside single malt.