The Dalmore Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky has unveiled two new limited editions from the Vintage collection, The Dalmore 2003 Vintage and The Dalmore 2007 Vintage.
Created by pioneering Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass and Master Distiller Richard Paterson OBE, The Dalmore Vintage collection showcases exceptional whiskies of distinguished character, each hand-selected in November, following a five decades-old Dalmore tradition.
Once a year, The Dalmore whisky makers visit the distillery to reacquaint themselves with their rare casks laid to mature in their historic warehouses, on the banks of Scotland’s great natural waterway, the Cromarty Firth in the Scottish Highlands.
November marks the optimum time for The Dalmore whisky makers to return to the distillery to assess their rare casks and the whiskies laid maturing within, as the cooling climate allows their potential to truly shine. Only the most exceptional whiskies reviewed during this special time and considered to have distinguished character are chosen to become a Dalmore Vintage.
The Dalmore 2003 Vintage offers on the nose – Manuka Honey, dark toffee, aged vanilla-pods; on the palate – warm honey, maple syrup and spiced dark fruits; and finishing notes of antique honey, old English marmalade and sweet spice. This elegant whisky was first matured in ex-Bourbon American oak casks, then enhanced through a carefully balanced recipe of hand-selected casks; Rivesaltes sweet wine casks, rare Matusalem and Amoroso sherry casks and small-batch Bourbon barrels.
The Dalmore 2007 Vintage offers on the nose – Honey, fresh baked brioche and ice ginger cake; on the palate – orange blossom honey, spices and mandarins; and finishing notes of patisserie sugars, ginger snaps and cinnamon. The antique qualities of this whisky are created through an initial maturation in ex-Bourbon American white oak barrels, then enhanced with a harmony of rare-hand-selected aged casks – Matusalem, Apostoles and Amoroso sherry, alongside sweet Marsala wine barrels.
Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass comments: “The time we take each November at The Dalmore is a true highlight of my year. At The Dalmore every cask is special, but when it comes to a Dalmore Vintage, we assess rare casks by hand, reacquainting ourselves with the character of each whisky. For a whisky to become a Dalmore Vintage we are looking for a distinctive characteristic that distinguishes that Single Malt above all else that year, a whisky with true potential to shine”
The Dalmore 2003 Vintage (RRP £350, 46.9% ABV) and 2007 Vintage (RRP £150, 46.5% ABV) and available from December at select outlets worldwide.