Dalmore 12 Years Old (43%)

A 12 year old Dalmore, a distillery bottling, at 43%. Dalmore is a Whyte and Mackay distillery known for its opulent, dried fruit rich style. Much of its sherry comes from aged Oloroso casks, the Matusalem, Apostoles and Amoroso butts of Gonzalez Byass.

The spirit was run through the distillery's unusual flat topped and water jacketed stills, for a full, opulent Highland spirit. An Oloroso hogshead lent dried fruit, walnut and a dark, treacly depth, soaked up by the heavy spirit. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin settling into vanilla as ethyl esters lend a riper orange and dried fruit. The full bodied make rewards a long, sherried maturation in good wood. Its spirit stills wear cooling water jackets, condensing the heavier compounds back for a fuller body. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and coconut over the rich malt. Its flat topped wash stills and water jacketed spirit stills build a thick, rich, oily spirit.

At 43% it is clean and soft. Orange, treacle and a warm spice, with dried fruit, chocolate and orange from the cask. A baked fruit and a warm spice lift it. It finishes rich, malty and warm. This is Dalmore, rich with orange and dark chocolate.