After a bit of research, I quickly realized this isn’t named after the Greek conqueror Alexander the Great. I always wondered what Alexander possibly had in common with whisky. His conquests were from Greece to modern day Pakistan. Nothing to do with Scotland. Instead, much to my chagrin, this was named after King Alexander III, who gave the McKenzie clan a 12 point stag as the clan emblem, after their clan leader saved his ass from a charging stag. Generations later, in mid1800s, a descendent of that clan leader established the Dalmore distillery, and had the 12 point stag as the emblem. Cute backstory. But let’s get to the point that really matters: this whisky, graciously given as a sample by my buddy @LeeEvolved. A bit more research also reveals that there’s really some cask finishing gone overtime here. Normally you get one or two finishes. No, not this one...it’s 6 finishes ! Finished in Kentucky bourbon casks , Jerez Oloroso, Sicilian Marsala, Douro valley port , Cabernet savignon ( maybe France?), and Madeira ( from...guess where? Madeira!). Despite that it’s only 40% ABV, I’m getting this biting heat on the nose. It really needs to sit a bit and calm down. Once it does, you get a mix of aromas—-from berries to caramel to floral. Palette is a step down—was really hoping that it would live up to that nose. Getting more Christmas flavors of nutmeg and oranges. Wouldn’t be a Dalmore if there were no oranges. Fantastic experiment in casks finishing that works wonders on the nose, but really falls apart at the palette. Thanks Lee for the pour!