Dalwhinnie 15 Year

I have had a lot of whiskies, but surprisingly i haven't had this one till a few weeks ago. This is considered one of the classic malts of Scotland, and it is very famous, and now i know why, because it is a good dram. Bottled at 43%abv. Everything is balanced here. On the nose, honey, plums, fresh peanuts, perfume. On the palate: honey, salt, caramel and tobacco. Aftertaste is medium with ginger spice. Super easy drinkable, very enjoyable, nothing to die for but an excelent dram, 80 over 100.

So as many of you know, a while ago I took suggestions for bottles for a tasting party. This was the bottle that I landed on to represent the Highland region. There was plenty left after the tasting so I decided to review it. This will be a re-review, as I tasted this a little over 2 years ago. The stats are the same as before, 15 years old, bottled at 43% ABV, chill filtered and with colorant added making it a yellow gold. Let’s see if it’s the same as I remember it. The nose walks the line between delicate and robust, but leans delicate. Honestly it’s not all that dissimilar from some Japanese whiskies. Very floral and malty with plenty of honey. Notes of hay and grasses with some sweeter notes of grapes and lemon. Creamy vanilla and bourbony oak, orange peel and a generous dash of salt. Malty breakfast cereal like Grape-Nuts, red apples, cranberries, raisins and plums. A very light peat that reminds me of a heavily watered down Talisker, and a whiff of smoke. Pickled ginger, menthol and peppermint. Letting it sit in the glass brings more lemon, some apricots and green apples. The palate is somewhat sweet and somewhat bitter/tannic. Citrus forward with oranges, lemon and some grapefruit. Very malty, floral and lots of honey. Weak black tea and oak, vanilla and chamomile. A touch of pepper but no spice. Leather, somewhat earthy, a very light peat. A hint of dry sherry, green grape skins and faint blackberries. A light bodied mouthfeel that is lightly oily, mouth coating and dry. The finish is long with citrus peel, malt, honey, weak tea and dry. Well I have to say that based on my previous notes, this stuff hasn’t really changed at all. The only differences I see are the peat notes and that the previous review said I got much more bitter notes. This definitely lives up to its nickname “The Gentle Dram”, and while there is little to complain about, this whisky just didn’t do anything for me. There’s no pop. Rather boring, which is fine for when you want something just to mindlessly sip, but not something to come back to when you want to really enjoy a dram. I also want to point out that the price for this is way too high. $85 for a 750ml bottle is outrageous. Luckily I was able to snag a 1L bottle at duty free for only $64. That price is a little more palatable. Last time I gave a 3.75, this time I think a 3.5 is fair. Cheers And BTW, the tasting party was a big hit and you can see some picture and my tips for hosting your own party in the latest episode of Dapper Drams on YouTube. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=poApcllGkGA