Dalmore Batch 3 (TBWC)

This Dalmore was bottled by the bottler That Boutique-y Whisky Company, a 14 year old, bottled at 51.3%, one of 811 bottles. Dalmore was founded in 1839 at Alness, and wears the twelve pointed Royal Stag of the Mackenzie clan. The distillery was founded in 1839 by Alexander Matheson on the Cromarty Firth at Alness.

It was distilled in flat topped wash stills and water jacketed spirit stills on River Averon water, for a heavy, rich make that suits aged sherry wood. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanilla and citrus beneath the rich malt. In integration lactones (coconut) and vanillin (vanilla) knit with the sherry, fruit deepening to chocolate and orange. The thick spirit shows the sherry clearly, dried fruit and orange over a malty depth. Years in oak round the spirit, the fruit deepening to chocolate, marmalade and treacle. Dalmore's sherry comes largely from the aged Oloroso casks of Gonzalez Byass.

At a natural 51.3% it is full and honeyed. Orange, treacle and a warm spice, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A baked fruit and a warm spice lift it. The finish runs rich, fruity and warm. This is the rich, sherried Highland malt of Dalmore.