There was a time earlier in my scotch whisky drinking “career” when I was slightly obsessed with everything Dalmore, and even the Richard Paterson persona. I thought then (and still think to this day) that he’s a great whisky character. He’s a brilliant blender, whisky aficionado and spokesperson. So, when I came across this bottle while online shopping I knew I had to give it a try. The Corriemhor Cigar Reserve was Richard’s first attempt at making a cigar-pairing, blended whisky. He was employed by Whyte & Mackay back in the mid-2000’s and this is rumored to be his inspiration for the Dalmore Cigar Malt. The best part is that this can still be found for around $50 a bottle and this carries an age statement of 8 years. Good luck finding out how old the malt is in the Dalmore version, but don’t even think about finding it for anything close to $50. This one is bottled at 46% and is non-chill filtered, but I’m pretty sure there’s plenty of coloring added. It’s medium gold and an oily mess in the taster. Lots of medium sized drops and random, undefined legs swirl down and around the glass when it’s given a little spin. The nose is raisins, red berries, apples and cereal notes once you give it a little time to release. Fresh cut oak mingles well and provides a solid backbone. Toffee and caramel hang heavy all around the glass, as well. The palate is a fantastic sherry bomb. There’s butterscotch and chocolate covered oranges, fresh cut apples and more toffee sweetness well into mid sip. The mouthcoat is velvety, but still slightly watery while the 46% provides just the right amount of heat and bite. The finish is medium-long with welcome heat as the last of the liquid dissipates. It leaves a lingering sweetness before turning lightly bitter. It’s this very last bit that reveals the youth of the spirit involved, but it’s not harsh enough to turn you off. Overall, this is really what the Dalmore version should strive to be. The fact you can still find bottles of this online out of the UK is incredible. In fact, I recommend leaving the Dalmore Cigar Malt sitting on the shelves, save yourself $60+ and buy this one instead. It’s gets you to the same place for half the price. What’s not to like about that? 4-4.25 stars. Cheers.