Dalmore King Alexander III

The Dalmore 1263 King Alexander III Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky
40% ABV/80 Proof
$200 to $250
Available in select markets

What the Distillery Says:
Wood finishing is very au courant in single malts today, but Richard Paterson, Master Distiller of The Dalmore was one of the pioneers of the trend as much as 40 years ago.

Back in the 1970’s through the 90’s, Paterson began aging his finest malts in a wide range of wine and spirit casks to add subtle shadings and nuance—not to sell individually, but to vatt together to create a sublime malt whisky far greater than the sum of its parts.

Paterson’s palette of woods include French Cabernet Sauvignon wine barriques; Madeira drums; sherry butts from Jerez de la Frontera; marsala barrels from Sicily; port pipes from the Douro; and sweet bourbon barrels from Kentucky. Once matured to perfection, the aged malts were expertly married by Paterson to create the most noble of all The Dalmore malt whiskies… one truly worthy to commemorate a King of Scotland.

Color: Deep, rich amber flecked with reddish highlights when poured into a crystal snifter.
Nose: A spectrum of complex aromas announces the artistry of Paterson’s visionary concept, all driven by the provenance of the casks—vibrant and exciting aromas; full of barely-restrained passion. Exotic, citric and floral notes upfront give way to dissolving layers of black fruit and burnished oak. Given time, the nose continues to evolve.
Taste: The Dalmore 1263 King Alexander III makes the ultimate case for wood finishing of malts with its six different styles of casks specially selected and meticulously combined by Paterson. Aged Oloroso and Madeira provide a backbone of crushed almonds and rich,
citrus fruit flavors. Port and marsala casks add hints of wild berries and fleshy ripe plums, while the Bourbon barrels come across as vanilla and creamy caramel accents. The Cabernet Sauvignon barriques add just a touch of elegance to complete the blend.
Finish: Although not quite as long as the seven centuries since King Alexander III’s reign, a dram of this noble malt lingers on the
tongue, the nose and the soul for hours.

What Richard Says:
Nose: This one is kind of all over the map. That savory sherry Dalmore quality takes a backseat to an intense bouquet of light oak, berries, and wild flowers with just a hint of lemon and lime zest.
Palate: Fruity and muscular with an almost bourbon like vanilla coming through. The palate isn’t nearly as impressive as the nose.
Finish: Dry with a caramel sweetness
Comments: Never (or hardly ever) has a nose promised so much and the palate so under delivered. The first problem is paying $200+ for a 40% ABV scotch. I don’t know who’s idea that was but they may want to rethink that. I think it really negatively effects the palate and waters it down. The King Alexander was a serious let down for me. Like the 15 Year Old Dalmore, the palate doesn’t live up to the nose and finish. However, because the nose is so good, even if I won’t tell you to definitely try this, you should smell it!
Rating: Stands Out

We would like to thank Laura with The Baddish Group for providing us with review samples.