Dailuaine 9 Years Old 2009 Hepburn’s Choice (Langside Distillers)

A 9 year old Dailuaine from the bottler Langside Distillers, distilled in 2009, bottled at 46%, one of 299 bottles. Dailuaine, founded in 1852, gave Scotch its first pagoda roofed kiln. In 1889 it became the first distillery to use the pagoda roof, the Doig Ventilator designed by Charles Doig.

The spirit was run through the distillery's big copper stills, for a rich, meaty make that suits sherry wood. An Amontillado cask gave a dry, nutty, almond edge. In these extractive early years the oak gives vanillin as vanilla and oak lactones as coconut over a robust, meaty malt. Dailuaine's heavy, malty make is prized by blenders for the body it gives. The rich, full bodied spirit takes cask flavour well, especially sherry wood. Single malt Dailuaine is rare as an official bottling, so most come from independents. A first fill sherry cask suits the robust spirit, dried fruit meeting the meaty weight.

Reduced to 46%, it is mellow. Orchard fruit, malt and a warm spice, with red berry and a dry spice from the cask. The texture is full and rich, the fruit lifted by a meaty malt. A full, malty finish ends on dried fruit and a warm spice. This is Dailuaine, a backbone of the great blends.