Dailuaine 9 Years Old 2013 (Hepburn’s Choice)

A Dailuaine of a 9 year old chosen by the independent Hunter Laing, distilled in 2013, bottled at 46%, one of 363 bottles. Dailuaine is a robust Speyside distillery at Carron, making a full bodied malt mostly for blends. Its big stills give a heavy, full bodied spirit that takes sherry wood especially well.

The spirit was worked through the big stills for a meaty, malty spirit, building the heavy Dailuaine style. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanilla beneath the robust, full bodied spirit. Young and extractive, the cask sheds vanillin (vanilla) and toasted sugars (light caramel) over the heavy spirit. Long ageing turns the fresh fruit towards dried fruit, fig, leather and a warm spice. Refill oak lets the robust Dailuaine character lead, malt and dried fruit beneath. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the rich, malty core over the years. In 1889 it became the first distillery to use the pagoda roof, the Doig Ventilator designed by Charles Doig.

At 46% it is smooth and honeyed. Malt, dried fruit and a rich spice, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A baked fruit and a warm spice lift it. The finish runs meaty, fruity and warm. This is a rich, malty Speyside single malt.