Today Dalmore


October 14, 2024

WF’s Little Duos, today two indie Dalmore

I think it’s been quite a while since we last tasted a Dalmore. Why not try two lovely independent bottlings before diving into the new official ones in a few weeks? Hello, how are you, quite well, thank you very much, and yourself? …

Dalmore 16 yo 2006/2023 (47.6%, The Auld Alliance & Lucky Choice, oloroso sherry hogshead, cask #7, 146 bottles)

There are quite a few independent Dalmores out there from refill wood, which tend to be far less influenced by sherry than the official bottlings, but this one seems to lean much more towards the latter – at least, that’s what the colour would suggest. Colour: amber. Nose: indeed, it’s very ‘OB’ on the nose, almost a tad vinous, with full-on sherry notes, walnut wine, raisins, and polished antique furniture, with a slight hint of old red wine – somewhere between a Pomerol and a Pommard, as they say. Merlot meets mature Pinot Noir. A touch of gunpowder and plenty of chocolate and grey pepper in the background. A certain someone wouldn’t deny its charms. Hello, how are you… Mouth: it feels bolder than just 47%, with plenty of chocolate, pepper, bitter orange, and chestnut honey, then black nougat and marmalade. There’s a thick, yet very elegant mouthfeel. It continues with stuffed dates, marzipan, and just the tiniest hint of sangria, along with a drop of Grand Marnier (the centennial edition, no less!) Finish: very long, creamy, rich, and honeyed, with that signature Dalmore orange lingering. Still a bit of pepper and clove, with a slight medicinal edge. Comments: one wonders if this cask came directly from the distillery. Truly excellent.
SGP: 651 - 89 points.

Let's jump back ten years (and a sherry cask) ago...

Dalmore 1996/2023 (46.3%, Malts of Scotland, Rare Casks, bourbon hogshead, cask #MoS 23007, 227 bottles)

Yet another superb entry in this splendid series from our friends in Paderborn, Germany. All of these whiskies seem to follow that famed ‘DFW’ method (distill, fill, wait). Colour: white wine. Nose: starts with porridge, chalk, fresh cement, and sourdough, but it’s the freshly squeezed oranges that steal the show. Then come delicate flowers, berries, and aromatic plants, with honeysuckle standing out, along with the usual orange blossoms. A magnificent nose—very fresh and supremely elegant. Mouth: almost like freshly squeezed orange juice blended with natural vanilla, and a hint of aniseed and caraway. Then we move towards panettone and kougelhopf, both wonderfully fresh, as a turmeric and nutmeg duo subtly emerges, gaining presence without ever unbalancing the whole. Finish: medium in length, beautifully balanced, with a delightful mix of pastry notes and Christmas spices. Perhaps we’re getting ahead of ourselves for the season? Aniseed cakes and Jaffa cakes make an appearance. Comments: these two remarkable Dalmore whiskies are so different, how to choose between them?
SGP:551 - 89 points.

Last minute bonus : two new OBs

Dalmore 2006/2024 (47.2%, OB, Select Edition, bourbon + Matusalem and amoroso sherry casks)

Colour: straw. The sherry influence is perhaps not as pronounced as one might expect. Nose: indeed, it’s rather taut, with notes of orange peel and rhubarb, some pine needles, and a touch of honeydew, along with fresh walnuts and bitter almonds, with a light whiff of kirsch. This is not one of those Dalmores that’s been excessively meddled with in the finishing, not at all. Mouth: very good, a bit more herbaceous and peppery, with a hint of tobacco (those strands that used to escape from an untipped cigarette – remember those?) followed by marzipan and speculoos. The herbal side grows stronger, leading to green pepper. Finish: of good length, with the return of orange zest, a touch of chocolate, more walnuts, and quite a dry sherry (not the amoroso, mind). Some sultanas on the aftertaste – finally. Comments: by the way, ‘amoroso’ is just a fancier name for traditional cream sherry. A very good Dalmore all around, but priced a bit on the high side, as they say.
SGP:561 - 87 points.

Dalmore 2009/2024 (48.9%, OB, Select Edition, bourbon + Matusalem and Port casks)

Here, Port replaces the cream sherry in the finishing. Colour: gold. Nose: I’m tasting this 2009 after the 2006 because, having quickly sampled both, I believe I preferred the 2009, mainly due to those marvellous oranges so typical of the distillate. For this somewhat rustic taster, the more oranges in a Dalmore, the better. There’s also a faint metallic note (like an old samovar) and a little touch of bay leaf, as well as some sloe. Such a shame proper sloe spirits have become so rare around here in Alsace. Mouth: yes, very good, slightly rough around the edges and almost as rustic as this amateur taster, with freshly ground black pepper and hints of sour cherry, along with orange zest and very dark chocolate. Finish: long and peppery, with bitter chocolate and black tea. There’s a bit of bay leaf again, along with other spices on the aftertaste, particularly cinnamon, and of course, the proverbial orange marmalade. Comments: long live rusticity!
SGP:561 - 88 points.

(Thank you, Gene)

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