Dalmore 9 Years Old AtB Darkness (Atom Brands)

This Dalmore was bottled by the bottler Atom Brands, a 9 year old, bottled at 49.8%. Dalmore sits above the Cromarty Firth, its water jacketed stills building a thick, oily spirit. Most expressions are finished in aged sherry wood, giving orange, chocolate and treacle.

The spirit was run through the distillery's unusual flat topped and water jacketed stills, for a heavy, rich make that suits aged sherry wood. An Oloroso hogshead lent dried fruit, walnut and a dark, treacly depth, soaked up by the heavy spirit. In these extractive early years the oak gives vanillin as vanilla and oak lactones as coconut over a rich, fruity spirit. Refill oak lets the full bodied Dalmore character lead, orange and dried fruit beneath. Long ageing turns the fresh orange towards marmalade, dark chocolate, coffee and a warm spice. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the rich, sherried core over the years.

At a natural 49.8% it is full and honeyed. Dried fruit, orange and a treacly malt, with raisin, date, fig and treacle from the cask. Soft orange and a treacly malt sit behind the cask. The finish is long, rich and chocolatey. This is one of the Highlands' most opulent single malts.