Highland

Advent Day 18: Dalmore 12 Year

/ / Highland, Review, Richard's Blog, Scottish Whisky /

18 days in and we head back to the sherry side…

The Dalmore Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years
40% ABV
$60
Website

What the Distillery Says
The Dalmore 12 year old, with its intricate aromas and flavours, is recognised as a whisky with character far beyond its age. This was Andrew Mackenzie’s original masterpiece and stood apart from the norm of the day. At a time when it was standard practise to mature whisky for no more than 6 years, Andrew Mackenzie demonstrated his pioneering character by doubling the maturation period. His boldness truly paid off, The Dalmore 12 year old still stands apart as an exceptional whisky today, as it did then.

Matured for an initial nine years in American white oak ex-bourbon casks, the spirit is then divided for its final flourish. One half remains in the bourbon barrels, while the other is transferred to exclusive 30 year old Gonzalez Byass Matusalem oloroso sherry butts before they are reunited to create this phenomenal whisky.

What Richard Says
Nose: Big sherry nose on this one with a malty and cocoa powder backing.
Palate: Syrupy orange sweetness playing with a….”dampness” is the only word that comes to mind. A bit of a one trick pony.
Finish: Coffee and dark chocolate…mochaccino maybe? Draw the finish out and it turns bitter.
Comments: Dalmore is one of those “remember when” scotches. As in “remember 20 years ago what it tasted like?” Back when I first started to drink scotch, just about everything Dalmore produced was pretty stellar. This current 12 year old is a pale shadow of what they used to make. Now there really isn’t anything special going on in this malt. And on top of the quality decline, there is a huge jump in price since Dalmore redid their line about 8 years ago. They see themselves as a top tier luxury malt now. Of course, that also includes the requisite luxury pricing. $60+ a bottle? Nah.
Rating: Average

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Glencadam 13 Year

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Glencadam The Re-Awakening 13 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
46% ABV
$65
Website

What the Distillery Says
Glencadam Distillery opened in 1825 and since then little has changed.

Glencadam Distillery proudly announces the release of a rare 13 year old expression.

Rare because in the Autumn of the year 2000, Glencadam distillery fell silent. This silence became a deep sleep for three years until its joyous “Re-Awakening” in the Autumn of 2003. This rare, 13 years old limited edition from the re-start of distillation truly represents and commemorates “The Re-Awakening” of Glencadam Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

What Gary Says
Nose: Bright herbal sweetness with a hint of citrus (lime zest), bit of smoke and anise.
Palate: Nice creamy mouthfeel, fruity sweetness (figs, dates, pears, bit of nectarines) and vanilla spice; hint of oak with pepper.
Finish: Moderately long and wet, soft to start with a spicy build up.
Comments: I’ve never had any Glencadam before, but this certainly won’t be my last. This is a very nice single malt. The nose is nice, although not special – but the palate was a pleasant surprise. It isn’t overly complex, but nicely balanced and quite drinkable. I appreciate this being offered as non-chill filtered without coloring being added (as well as the 92 proof versus 80).
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says
Nose: Brooding on the nose. Malt forward with notes of under ripe apples, hay, and wildflowers.
Palate: The palate is very assertive. Baklava and baked apple dumplings interplay with a bit of Vegemite and fall leaves.
Finish: Woody, minty, and grassy.
Comments: This is now slouch of a malt. The higher proof and lack of chill filtration are worn very well on this whisky. This a great example of a well formed highland single malt. It’s a bit like a Glenmorangie that has been aggressively hitting the gym and coming out a monster.
Rating: Stands Out

We would like to thank Glencadam for sending us a sample to review.

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Aberfeldy 16 Year

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Aberfeldy Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 16 Years
40% ABV
$100
Website

What the Distillery Says
They really don’t say anything much. Aberfeldy was rolled out as a single malt several years ago as part of the “Last Great Malts” series. However, that seems to have not taken off quite as well as Bacardi hoped and the website for the series redirects back to Dewars.

What Gary Says
Nose: Thick sherry, sour oak, cloves and honey with a hint of smoke.
Palate: Musty sherry sweetness, thin and subtle with a slight spice kick.
Finish: Moderately long and drying with a sharp note at the end.
Comments: I really enjoyed the nose but the palate was like a different whisky. I’m not familiar with Aberfeldy, so not sure how this compares to the rest of their line-up. The palate left me wanting what the nose telegraphed. Perhaps an offering at a higher proof would really shine.
Rating: Average

What Richard Says
Nose: Treacle tarts, dried straw, and a pinch of sherry.
Palate: Baked apples with a bit of lemon zest and honey. A toddy anyone?
Finish: Oak forward with lingering cracked pepper around the edges.
Comments: This was referenced in the press release as a sherried expression of Aberfeldy but the sherry influence is mild and understated. Aberfeldy is a great keystone malt for the Dewars blends but it fails to stand on it’s own as a single malt. Not bad at all, just not exceptional. There is nothing here that screams for your attention. It could be one of a dozen different malts in the age and price ranges of this one. But then again, isn’t that was makes this such a great blending malt?
Rating: Average

We would like to thank the Bacardi for sending us a sample to review.

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Glengoyne 21 Year

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Matured 21 Years
43% ABV
$130 to $170
Website

What the Distillery Says
Sultanas and hazelnuts; dried fruits and rich spice

Christmas cake, honey, and rich fruit – with a long cinnamon finish. Matured exclusively in hand-selected sherry casks for 21 years. Perfect after dinner or, frankly, anytime.

What Richard Says
Nose: Baked raisins, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a big meaty dose of sherry.
Palate: Oozing with fruity honey and apple cider centering around a big chunk of oak. Revisiting comes back to a chocolate orange and well worn cedar.
Finish: Hot cinnamon kicks you in the mouth and then settles into a lingering black pepper and oak.
Comments: Sherry bomb? Check! If you don’t have a predilection toward sherry malts then this isn’t going to be some kind of “damn, this is what I’ve been missing” malt moment. It is going to be a damn fine dram and for sherry malt drinkers this is a definite must try.
Rating: Must Try

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Glengoyne 18 Year

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Matured 18 Years
43% ABV
$120
Website

What the Distillery Says
Fresh, malty and spicy

Spicy vanilla fruit, ripe apples and a rich, luxurious mouthfeel. This is the result of eighteen long years and a generous proportion of first-fill sherry casks.

What Richard Says
Nose: Heavy sherry forward with lots of under ripe apples, cocoa, citrus rind, and vanilla.
Palate: Creamy butterscotch, baking spices, mounds of sherry, and more citrus.
Finish: The spices and wood linger.
Comments: This is a great example of a classic sherry forward well aged single malt. Are you tired of paying nearly $200 for that bottle of Macallan 18? Then you should definitely give the Glengoyne 18 a try.
Rating: Must Try

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