Dailuaine 17 Years Old Darkness (MoM)

A Dailuaine of a 17 year old chosen by the bottler Master of Malt, bottled at 52.7%. Dailuaine, whose name is Gaelic for the green vale, is a heavy, full bodied Speysider. It sits near Aberlour, in the heart of Speyside by the River Spey.

Made in large copper stills for a rich, robust make, to build a robust, malty, sherry loving character. Maturation in an Oloroso cask laid dried fruit over the meaty, malty spirit. Through oxidative maturity esters concentrate, fruit turning to dried fruit over a rich, malty body. The cool Speyside air gives a slow, even maturation, the heavy malt deepening. It had its own railway siding and a little locomotive, Dailuaine No.1, known as the Puggy. Most Dailuaine goes quietly into blends, a robust filler kept in part as single malt. In 1889 it became the first distillery to use the pagoda roof, the Doig Ventilator designed by Charles Doig.

Bottled at a cask strength 52.7%, it is rich. A heavy, malty fruitiness, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. Beneath it run dried fruit, malt and a savoury edge. It finishes robust, malty and warm. This is a rich, dried fruit laden Speyside single malt.