Dalmunach 7 Years Old 2016 Benchmark Limited Release (Murray McDavid)

A Dalmunach of a 7 year old chosen by the independent Murray McDavid, distilled in 2016, bottled at 48.5%, one of 2062 bottles. Dalmunach rose in 2015 where Imperial once stood, a modern Speyside distillery by the Spey. It was built in 2014 and opened in 2015 by Chivas Brothers, on the site of the demolished Imperial distillery.

Drawn off four wash and four spirit stills in their circular cluster, building the clean Dalmunach style. Maturation in an Oloroso cask laid dried fruit over the fruity malt. These early years are extractive, the oak surrendering vanillin as vanilla and oak lactones as coconut to a fresh, fruity make. The clean spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and fruit to the fore. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and coconut over the fruity malt. Water comes from the Balintomb Burn, near the River Spey at Carron.

Bottled at a cask strength 48.5%, it is rich. Green apple, citrus and a soft vanilla, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. Beneath it run apple, pear and a soft honey. A fresh, honeyed finish ends on apple and pear. This is a clean Speyside single malt from a modern distillery.