Dalmore Distillery Select series 2024
From the Distillery
The Dalmore Distillery Select is a showcase of our whisky makers’ “hidden gems” hand-select small parcels of highly limited spirit laid down in our dunnage warehouse, which we make available direct via The Distillery, at our boutiques, and in a limited-time window to whisky enthusiasts in the UK via The Dalmore website.
Each of these exclusive limited editions, chosen by our whisky makers for the rarity of its character and how its maturation journey from cask to cask complements a particular aspect of The Dalmore’s signature house style.
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Vintage Sherry Cask Finish, Aged 15 Years - 52.8%
The Dalmore Distillery Select Vintage Sherry Cask Finish (52.8% ABV) which is a 15 Year Old single malt Scotch whisky, was distilled in 2009 and finished in exceptionally rare vintage Sherry casks sourced exclusively from one of the finest wine makers of Spain, González Byass. Limited to 2736 bottles.
Tasting notes
Appearance: Pale gold, forms a thick line which falls as an inverted crown of thick, oily legs.
Nose: Green apples, vanilla pods, icing sugar, runny honey, a touch of overripe banana and baking spice. Sultanas appear with more time in the glass.
Palate: Pink Lady apples, pears poached with vanilla and cinnamon, milk chocolate orange, sultanas and raisins.
Finish: A touch of tobacco leaf, milk chocolate coated dried fruit, anise, warming cinnamon and ginger.
Overall: A very enjoyable dram, not in sherry bomb territory but the influence is there. For me, this is better neat as water seemed to flatten it.
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Vintage Amarone and Port Cask Finishes, Aged 17 Years - 45.8%
The Dalmore Distillery Select Amarone and Port Cask Finish (45.8% ABV) which is a 17 Year Old single malt Scotch whisky, was distilled in 2007 and finished the finest Amarone and Port casks from the finest Italian and Portuguese wine makers. Limited to 918 bottles.
Tasting notes
Appearance: Pale gold, forms a thin line which beads before slowly falling as thick, oily legs.
Nose: Stewed plums, red berried fruit, Medjool dates, Stroopwaffels and a touch the of marzipan coating taken from a rich fruit cake.
Palate: Hedgerow berry sorbet, raspberry coulis, macerated strawberries, vanilla pods, milk chocolate enrobed crystallised ginger and slightly astringent, nutty oak.
Finish: Edible viola flowers, nutty oak, malted milk biscuits and a touch of cinnamon.
Overall: Fruity, floral and very enjoyable neat. The burst of fruit and edible flowers in the finish gives this the feel of a real summer dram.
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Vintage Calvados Cask Finish, Aged 24 Years - 50.3%
The Dalmore Distillery Select Vintage Calvados Finish (50.3% ABV) which is a 24 Year Old single malt Scotch whisky, was distilled in 2000, and finished in hand-selected vintage Calvados casks, sourced from the House of Drouin, France. Limited to 383 bottles.
Tasting notes
Appearance: Burnished gold, forms a thin line which beads before merging and slowly falling as thick, oily legs.
Nose: Homemade toffee apples, icing sugar, caramel almond slice, honey, ripe Victoria plums, ground ginger.
Palate: Apple strudel with a healthy dose of cinnamon and doused in crème Anglaise, red berries follow together with pear and ginger tart.
Finish: Warming baking spices mingle with dried fruit and nuts.
Overall: Absolutely beautiiful whisky, I was expecting apple notes to dominate and was pleasantly surprised to find it to offer so much more depth and complexity. This is one of those whiskies that transports you to a place sat by a roaring log fire after a crisp Autumn walk.
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Final thoughts:
According to the Dalmore website, “The Dalmore Distillery Select Vintage Sherry Cask Finish (RRP: £300), Amarone and Port Cask Finish (RRP: £1000) and Vintage Calvados Finish (RRP: £5000) releases, are available exclusively in the UK via The Dalmore website.
This is a range of whiskies that sit fairly and squarely in the premium end of the market, indeed you would have to say the super-premium category for the latter two expressions. Whatever your thoughts on premiumisation, it can’t be denied it happens in every category of luxury goods, and whisky is certainly a luxury item. Whether you deem those prices are acceptable will depend entirely on how deep your pockets are. With the exception of the Sherry Cask finish, I think it would be fairly safe to say very few of those bottles will sadly ever be opened, so I’m very grateful for the opportunity to try them for myself.
My personal opinions on pricing are no doubt based on my early whisky experiences during the whisky loch, when the whisky industry was really struggling and distilleries were grateful for any business that would help them stay afloat. Back then, the possibility of a whisky costing the equivalent of £5000 would have been almost unthinkable. That said, I have less of a problem with these limited edition expressions being placed straight onto market at premium prices than the huge increases we’ve seen of late with previously affordable core bottlings.
In terms of the whiskies themselves, they’re all very good quality and the Calvados cask is the real pick of the bunch. If you asked me if I thought there were whiskies of similar, or better, quality out there for far less money then I would have to say yes. However, these are whiskies which are aimed at a different market to the one I sit in and there will be plenty of Dalmore enthusiasts and investors out there who will be more than happy to buy them…and I hope, open and enjoy them.
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If you would like more information on this whisky, or the Dalmore Distillery, follow the link to the company website.
Transparency: Received free of charge for independent review, all opinions are my own and remain completely impartial.
