Dalmore Luminary No. 1 - 2022 Edition

When Dalmore releases something, (that i can buy, since they release a lot of things that i cannot buy) i try to fetch it immediately. I know Dalmore has a little backlash in some Connoisseur groups who think that Dalmore is overpriced and overrated, but i happen to think most Dalmores are very good. Having said that, i have had some dissapointments with some expressions from "my first love". Yep, my first single malt ever was a Dalmore 12yo. It opened my eyes forever, and i still consider it to be a wonderful single malt, after having tasting 1260 whiskies in my life. Well, they have released this beautiful bottle, with an enormous marketing behind it. It has been done inspired in the architecture of Kengo Kuma, a Japanese visionary that created the Victoria & Albert Design Museum in Dundee and the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo. Actually Dalmore didn't solely released this one, but also a super high end, unaffordable expression called Luminary No.1, that comes with a pedestal made of wood using Kengo Kuma style. Well, this is the "normal" expression, a 15yo whisky, called Dalmore Luminary No1 as well. Pretty confusing stuff. Bottled at 46.8%abv. On the nose i get this marvelous tiramisu. It is exactly as a Vanilla and Cookies Cake with hazelnut. Tobacco, Milk cream. Hazelnut and Deep raisins. Wonderful on the nose. The palate is absolutely perfect. Extraordinary orange marmalade. Acid fruits. Tangerine. After a first sip, i get orange caramel, very fancy, so beautiful. The velevety body here is uncanny. Incredible. Aftertaste has makes a good spin, changing the course the rest of the whisky had. Tobacco, acid orange marvel. Cigarrettes, hay, cowboy-ish. Amazing. I would not guess this is a Dalmore in a blind tasting. Overall, this was impressive. I found a store in Amsterdam Airport where i could fill a sample. I deeply regret that i didn't buy the full bottle which is a little expensive, but it is worth it. Even as an investment (which i always encourage as well after tasting an expression) is a good deal. My score for this wonderful dram is 94 over 100.