Dalmore Vintage 10 Years Old 2008

This official Dalmore, a 10 year old, from 2008, at 46%. Dalmore is the Highland malt of the Royal Stag, rich with orange, chocolate and sherry. Its spirit stills wear cooling water jackets, condensing the heavier compounds back for a fuller body.

It was distilled in flat topped wash stills and water jacketed spirit stills on River Averon water, to build a rich, sherry loving character. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak quiet behind the thick spirit. Integration folds eugenol (clove) and vanillin (vanilla) into the malt, the rich body fuller and darker. 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 full bodied make rewards a long, sherried maturation in good wood. The thick spirit shows the sherry clearly, dried fruit and orange over a malty depth.

Bottled at 46%, it is rounded. A full, dried fruit richness, with raisin, orange and a caramelised nuttiness from the cask. Marmalade, chocolate and dried fruit fill the middle. Dried fruit, orange and a treacly oak see out the finish. This is Dalmore's opulent, chocolate orange Highland style.