Dalmore 30 Years Old

Dalmore from the distillery, a 30 year old, from 1991, at 43.8%. Dalmore sits above the Cromarty Firth, its water jacketed stills building a thick, oily spirit. Its long time master distiller Richard Paterson, known as The Nose, shaped the rich house style.

It was run through the distillery's unusual flat topped and water jacketed stills, for a full, opulent Highland spirit. A Cabernet Sauvignon cask gave blackcurrant, red berry and a dry spice. At a great, fragile age oxidation rules, sotolon lending maple and old oak as leather, coffee and dark chocolate linger. The full bodied make rewards a long, sherried maturation in good wood. Water comes from the River Averon, drawn from Loch Morie in the hills above. An aged Oloroso cask suits the rich spirit, dried fruit and chocolate meeting the oily weight. The Mackenzie clan ran it from 1867, and gave it the twelve pointed Royal Stag, after an ancestor saved King Alexander III from a charging stag in 1263.

At 43.8% it is smooth and honeyed. A rich, oily chocolate orange, with plum and red berry from the cask. Beneath it run orange, dark chocolate and dried fruit. The finish is deep, sherried and dark. This is the Royal Stag malt of the Cromarty Firth.