Dalmore King Alexander III (40%)

Dalmore from the distillery, at 40%. Dalmore sits above the Cromarty Firth, its water jacketed stills building a thick, oily spirit. Much of its sherry comes from aged Oloroso casks, the Matusalem, Apostoles and Amoroso butts of Gonzalez Byass.

It was distilled in flat topped wash stills and water jacketed spirit stills on River Averon water, for a full, opulent Highland spirit. A sherry cask held it, the wood lending raisin, fig, orange and a coffee depth. Carrying no age, soft vanillin (vanilla) and a dried fruit richness suggest a fair spell in cask. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the rich, sherried core over the years. The cool Highland air on the firth gives a slow, even maturation. 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.

Reduced to 40%, it is mellow. Orange, treacle and a warm spice, with dried fruit, chocolate and orange from the cask. The texture is thick and oily, the fruit lifted by a rich sherry. The finish is deep, sherried and dark. This is Dalmore, rich with orange and dark chocolate.