Indie Dalmore 10 years old ex-wine cask


October 19, 2023

WF's Little Duos, today indie Dalmore 10 years old ex-wine cask

In other words, flathead stills and voluminous whiskies… and wine. We should have some new OBs soon too…

Wine cellar in Bourgogne/Burgundy
(Château de Meursault)

Dalmore 10 yo 2012/2022 (46%, Hart Brothers, Single Cask, 'First Burgundy Cask Filled')

Not too sure about what 'first Burgundy cask filled' means. Was it the first time they've been using ex-Bourgogne wood? Or a first growth (premier cru)? Or was it a first fill Burgundy cask? Did they first fill a Burgundy cask, then simpler refill wood? We've been plunged into an abyss of perplexity here… quite. And was it red or was it white? (let's not even mention the pretty rare rosés they mainly use for crémant)… Yes, alright, we may be overthinking it. Colour: white wine. That's a clue, is it not. Nose: loads of muesli, a wee feeling of grapes indeed, but rather no straight cassis or cherries. Quite some bready notes, perhaps grape pip oil, some chalkiness, a touch of engine oil (new, not used) and graphite, wee whiffs of wisteria… It is all pretty delicate and certainly not winey this far, unless this would be refill chardonnay... Mouth: there, indeed, touches of redcurrants and a little bubblegum, nectarines, perhaps one or two sultanas… We're actually pretty much in fresh young cognac territory, which is rather intriguing and most pleasant. Finish: medium, maltier, clean, with a little leafiness, plus Dalmorey oranges in the aftertaste. We could almost call it Dalmorey-St-Denis (and there, another stupid joke on this lousy website). Comments: one we could use to play the 'blind trick game' with friends and family.
SGP:651 - 85 points.

Dalmore 10 yo 2013/2023 'Stag Wine' (60.1%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society for Artist/LMDW, First fill cosecha wine cask, #13.106, 231 bottles)

This year La Maison du Whisky are partnering with the SMWS, which I find neat and good fun. This is one of the five new bottlings they're just launching. As for the wording 'cosecha', it means 'vintage', so I suppose it was non-solera Spanish wine, sweet PX actually. Colour: light gold. Nose: stems, leaves (tomato), pips, stalk, blood oranges, a tiny touch of muscat, and, well, 60% vol. See what I mean. With water: gets fermentary, this is almost; well, orange wine (I am not joking). Not meaning wine made out of oranges, right. Also artisanal dry cider. Mouth (neat): huge power, more blood oranges, hops and woodruff, touches of red beet, then more oranges yet, orangeade… There's a rather wonderful orangey zestiness that I'm finding very Dalmore. There was some of this in older official bottlings. With water: the PX's sweetness comes to the front, but without excess. Some green walnuts too – and yet I doubt flor or heavy oxidation were ever involved here. Finish: rather long, rather fresher, fruitier, more on… blood oranges. Comments: It seems evident to me that our Scottish friends are becoming increasingly good at blending and balancing malt and wine, here's yet another example.
SGP:651 - 87 points.

Check the index of all Dalmore we've tasted so far