Dalmore King Alexander III

A Dalmore, a distillery bottling, at 40%. Dalmore was founded in 1839 at Alness, and wears the twelve pointed Royal Stag of the Mackenzie clan. Its flat topped wash stills and water jacketed spirit stills build a thick, rich, oily spirit.

It was distilled in flat topped wash stills and water jacketed spirit stills on River Averon water, for the rich, full bodied make Dalmore is known for. It was matured in refill ex-Bourbon oak, vanilla and a soft orange behind the rich spirit. Carrying no age, soft vanillin (vanilla) and a dried fruit richness suggest a fair spell in cask. An aged Oloroso cask suits the rich spirit, dried fruit and chocolate meeting the oily weight. The rich, dried fruit style runs through the core range, from the twelve year old upward. Most expressions are finished in aged sherry wood, giving orange, chocolate and treacle. The cool Highland air on the firth gives a slow, even maturation.

Reduced to 40%, it is mellow. Orange, dark chocolate and dried fruit, with a soft vanilla from the oak. It is full and rich, the opulent spirit shining through. The close is long, fruit over a rich sherry. This is a sherried Highland single malt of real depth.