Dailuaine 8 Years Old 2015 Cask #312012 (Adelphi)

The Adelphi bottler bottled this Dailuaine, an 8 year old, distilled in 2015, from cask 312012, bottled at 59.4%, one of 290 bottles. Dailuaine is the rich, malty Speyside single malt that helped build the Johnnie Walker blends. Its rich, robust malt has long been a backbone of the Johnnie Walker blends.

Distilled for the heavy, full bodied spirit Dailuaine is known for, for a rich, meaty make that suits sherry wood. A bourbon barrel held it, vanilla and a soft spice over the malty spirit. Young and extractive, the cask sheds vanillin (vanilla) and toasted sugars (light caramel) over the heavy spirit. The rich, full bodied spirit takes cask flavour well, especially sherry wood. Years in oak round the spirit, the fruit deepening to dried fruit and a savoury spice. Long ageing turns the fresh fruit towards dried fruit, fig, leather and a warm spice. The big stills give a heavy spirit that takes a long, sherried maturation in its stride.

Bottled at a cask strength 59.4%, it is rich. A rich, full bodied sweetness, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A dried fruit and a malty depth give it weight. Dried fruit, malt and a savoury oak see out the finish. This is a rich, malty Speyside single malt.