Dalmore Home of Clan MacKenzie – Castle Leod 16 Years Old 1995

Dalmore from the distillery, a 16 year old, from 1995, at 46%, 5000 bottles in all. Dalmore, on the firth at Alness, makes one of the most luscious, sherried malts in the Highlands. The distillery was founded in 1839 by Alexander Matheson on the Cromarty Firth at Alness.

The spirit was worked through flat topped and water jacketed stills for a rich, oily spirit, building the luscious Dalmore style. A sherry cask held it, the wood lending raisin, fig, orange and a coffee depth. At oxidative maturity aldehydes and esters lend dried fruit while ellagitannins add a drying, tannic grip. The rich, oily spirit takes cask flavour superbly, especially aged sherry wood. 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.

At 46% it is gentle, sweet and fruity. A rich, oily chocolate orange, with dried fruit, chocolate and orange from the cask. The mouthfeel is heavy, the fruit carried on a rich, malty body. The finish runs rich, fruity and warm. This is Dalmore, rich with orange and dark chocolate.