Soba45
Dalmore 18 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed
May 29, 2020 (edited March 19, 2021)
The highest i've ever rated a Dalmore was a 4 which was a large step up from 2nd at 3.5.... the rest even lower. This one initially I was impressed but the longer I drank it the predominant notes were as Jose mentioned old citric, drying white peppered bitter wood. The aftertaste it left in my mouth not really pleasant. I'm thinking 3.5 max for this one as well in fact by the end i thought even less and tipped the rest. And that ladies and gentlemen is the last of my Dalmore samples I have in my collection. I've tried several and nearly all i've found wanting bar the cigar malt. Not a distillery I will pay money for too try again...ever..
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@Slainte-Mhath Ah yes I had a nice Adelphi Invergordon a while back
@Soba45 Yeah, official bottlings of Dalmore and Jura are usually a disappointment. However, I find it remarkable that my favorite grain distillery, Invergordon, is owned by White & Mackay.
@cascode Ah interesting i didn't realise the ownership structure and associated portfolio. Makes sense
Yes, I agree. To a large extent I think they are a victim of Whyte & Mackay's obsession with owning an "exclusive" brand to oppose Macallan. After all, if the other brands in your portfolio are Jura, Fettercairn and a big old-school blended scotch you'd try damn hard to do something sexy with Dalmore, yes?
@cascode Yes over engineered and artificially polished. They always come across as unnatural a bit like plastic surgery or robots that look uncomfortably too human...the 'uncanny valley' feeling
Dalmore is a robust and heavy distillate that plays very well with sherry-wood. IMHO it is always at its best when filled into top-grade 1st fill ex-oloroso casks and just left in peace for a long, long time. Sadly, it seems to be too often over-engineered.
@cascode Yeah it would be really interesting to understand the mechanics of how they bring it all together to understand why it's not a distillery that clicks with me.
I liked this a little more but it did show all the faults you mentioned. I'd love to taste a Dalmore 18 that was matured exclusively in 1st-fill matusalem sherry hoggies.