Dalmore, vertically


October 21, 2026

Dalmore, vertically

We thought that, after the seven superb Taliskers we had yesterday, we might try another little verticale, this time with a malt that is perhaps Talisker’s exact opposite in terms of style. Let us start with two young independents…

(WF Archive, 2013)

Dalmore 12 yo 2014/2026 (46%, Signatory Vintage, Un-chillfiltered Collection, first fill sherry butt finish)

Colour: deep gold. Nose: well, we are not very far from the style of the OBs, with raisins, candied orange, chocolate and very faint metallic touches (old copper coins). That last part reminds us of the little Scottish joke about copper wire having been invented by two Highlanders fighting over a penny. We love them dearly, so we hope they will forgive us! There are also some very classic touches of walnut liqueur. Mouth: classic Dalmore indeed, with three tonnes of Jaffa cakes and a little peppery nip. Finish: long, with peppery raisins returning to the fore. Comments: excellent, with very classic sherry, ultimately just a little less rounded than the official bottlings of similar ages.
SGP:561 - 85 points.

Dalmore 12 yo 2013/2025 (56.2%, The Duchess, oloroso hogshead, cask #9002541)

We are expecting something similar, despite the much darker colour. Colour: copper gold. Nose: actually, this is drier, more on slightly burnt walnut cake and toasted malt. Kougelhopf. With water: faint notes of burnt wood and rubber. All rather French, particularly at the moment, if you see what I mean. Mouth (neat): this time we are close, with just some touches of grilled meat, hamburger-style. The rest is shared between bitter almond and dark chocolate, with hints of juniper and clove. With water: we find ourselves close to the 2014, only a little more bitter. Chocolate with 75% cocoa. Finish: long, with green pepper making an appearance and that juniper and clove duo still going strong. Comments: a lovely, very dry character, with ultimately rather little orange.
SGP:461 - 85 points.

On to the official bottlings…

Dalmore 18 yo ‘Cigar Malt Signature Reserve’ (46%, OB, 2026)

A brand-new, older version of the famous Cigar Malt, which, as we have observed in the past, can also manage perfectly well without a puro of any kind. This is quite a marriage too, involving ex-bourbon, Matusalem sherry, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and marsala casks. Nothing less… We could insist on knowing the exact provenance of the casks, but we shall not bother the most excellent Richard P. Colour: deep gold. Nose: very oddly, considering the quantities of wine involved, we find this baby maltier, rounder too, and above all more on those proverbial oranges and the marmalades made from them. There is also a lovely earthy side, even touches of dried morels, followed by dark turrón and a little toffee. Mouth: once again, the oranges dominate, especially after the young indies. Peppery zest, even a touch of bergamot, refined sherry, and a very well-controlled vinosity, much to our delight. Black pepper also makes quite an appearance, accompanied by that famous, unmistakably Dalmorian dark chocolate. Finish: fairly long, now drier, with pepper, dark chocolate, espresso… Comments: these recent Dalmores are drier and less loaded with fruit than the versions from… er, 40 or more years ago (black labels). Still excellent, though.
SGP:461 - 87 points.

Back in time we go, then…

Dalmore 30 yo ‘2024 Release’ (43.8%, OB)

Here we have a finish in old tawny and colheita port casks from Graham’s, which rather announces itself through this baby’s colour… Colour: red peach. Nose: let us say it straight away, this is one of the finest port finishes we have had the pleasure of nosing in recent years. We find the cooked peach suggested by the colour, then prickly pear, Dalmore’s signature orange, and this time rather more milk chocolate. Heather honey and a few drops of old gewurztraminer complete this lovely, wonderfully fresh picture. Mouth: let us admit it, this is rather irresistible, with ripe mango to begin with, then sweet paprika mingling with quince and flower jellies. A tiny piece of rose-flavoured Turkish delight. Finish: not all that long, but fresh and fruity, carried by honey and very ripe peach. Comments: only the strength might have been a little higher, to prevent the finish from fading just a touch. But, as we sometimes say, there is a remedy for that: have a second glass. Avoiding a third, naturally…
SGP:6541 - 90 points.

Dalmore 40 yo ‘2024 Edition’ (42%, OB, Gonzalez Byass Matusalem oloroso finish)

This is the 2024 version, others having appeared before it, such as the 2018, which we rather liked. However, a quick search through our archives, across all distilleries, would suggest that we generally prefer the 30 or 35-year-olds to the 40-year-olds. But, as ever, taste is personal… Colour: dark amber. Nose: to tell the truth, it is not so very different, just even more floral and fruity, with still more cooked peach, peonies, mullein flowers, woodruff, very ripe figs, praline and currants. No, this really is tremendous. Mouth: the art of proving ourselves wrong. It is certainly drier, more chocolatey, perhaps even very slightly grippy (dry walnut wine), but this stroll through Jerez is simply wonderful. Naturally, there are walnuts in abundance, along with bitter oranges and little touches of bark and toasted pine nuts. Finish: not all that long, but that is solely down to the slightly modest strength. Walnut chocolate, with a tiny salty touch and Ethiopian mocha. Comments: this baby whisks you off to Andalusia in greater comfort, and with a more reliable timetable, than easyJet. Hmm, take that comparison for what it is worth…
SGP:651 - 91 points

Dalmore 45 yo ‘2024 Edition’ (40%, OB)

This baby comes in a Baccarat crystal decanter, so made not far from Château Whiskyfun, just over the mountains (the Vosges, that is). The 40% is admittedly a little frightening (so to speak), but with Dalmore there is always the chance of a wonderful surprise. Note that we have never tasted a Dalmore 45 before. This one was finished in cabernet sauvignon (why not) and then tawny port (why not). Colour: dark amber. Nose: the typical style is there, imagine milk chocolate (double cream) containing fragments of praline, dried strawberry, dates and pink peppercorns. Then come tarte tatin, lingonberries and blueberries, and a very faint menthol note that somehow lifts the whole thing. Lovely freshness, with surprising liveliness at this advanced age. Mouth: the oak is more prominent, inevitably, with rather dominant tobacco accompanied by ground coffee. It remains lovely, but the 40% does little to sustain its verve or prevent a slight sense of frustration on the palate. Finish: fairly short, very much on black tea, coffee and chocolate, the latter dark as well. Fortunately, there is a little chestnut honey in the aftertaste. Comments: the 40-year-old, all the way! The 30-year-old too.
SGP:461 - 88 points.

Check the index of all Dalmore we've tasted