Dalwhinnie Distillers Edition

I’m going against the grain on this one. For years, Dalwhinnie was my favorite whisky. So smooth and satisfying it could easily be chugged neat. I guess the same could also be said of the distillers edition as it delivers in very pleasant fashion. In addition, 16 years of double maturation is both honorable and commendable in today’s market. Unfortunately, though, I rate this a slight downgrade to the core expression, which I see as the perfect mix of honeyed vanilla and toasted almonds. The Oloroso finish does add a modicum of complexity to the palate; however, the disruption comes mainly in the nose. Somewhere, in the 2nd part of the process, a touch of something (sulfur?) is introduced adding a tiny wilt to an otherwise vibrant bouquet. This coupled with an increase in cost has this spirit falling a tad out of 4-star territory.