Dailuaine 40 Years Old 1983 Cask #701 (Half) (Wilson & Morgan)

The Italian bottler Wilson and Morgan bottled this Dailuaine, a 40 year old, distilled in 1983, from cask 701 (Half), bottled at 54%, one of 297 bottles. Dailuaine is a heavy, fruity Speyside single malt from near Aberlour. Most of its make goes to blending, with a Flora and Fauna sixteen year old the regular single malt.

It was worked through the big stills for a meaty, malty spirit, for the rich, full bodied make Dailuaine is known for. A Pedro Ximenez cask added raisin, date and a treacle sweetness. At a great, fragile age oxidation rules, sotolon lending maple and old oak as leather and a savoury depth linger. The clean spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and fruit over a rich malt. Refill oak lets the robust Dailuaine character lead, malt and dried fruit beneath. Water comes from the Bailliemullich Burn, the spirit drawn off three wash and three spirit stills.

At a hearty 54% it carries real weight. Malt, dried fruit and a rich spice, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Dried fruit, malt and a savoury spice fill the middle. It finishes robust, malty and warm. This is a rich, dried fruit laden Speyside single malt.