Newer readers may not realize this, but Diageo's "Special Releases" were once actually special, not ten year old whatsits in wine casks. Both the 2019 and 2020 sets included a 30-year-old 'Whinnie. Today's 2020 release is the more naked of the two, having lived in only refill hoggies. Gimme gimme gimme.
Distillery: Dalwhinnie
Ownership: Diageo
Region: Highlands (Central-ish)
Region: Highlands (Central-ish)
Age: at least 30 years (1989-2020)
Maturation: refill American oak hogsheads
Outturn: 6978 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 51.9%
Chillfiltered? No
e150a added? No
(from a bottle split)
(from a bottle split)
NEAT
Surprise! This isn't your average Dalwhinnie nose. It's chalky and lightly earthy, with caramel, shortbread biscuits, and a hint of butterscotch. Then, baked bananas and grilled pears. A mix of lemon cake and clove cigarettes appears after 45 minutes of air. The palate arrives fruitier than the nose, with guava, limes, and canned peaches. Hints of vanilla and dusty smoke drift through the background. Lightly sweet and lightly bitter, the finish starts with lemon curd, then tilts towards lemon juice after some time.
DILUTED to ~46%abv, or ¾ tsp of water per 30mL whisky
Lemon cake, shortbread biscuits, dandelions, and strawberry pie filling on the nose. The sweeter and tangier palate narrows a bit, but adds passion fruit to the guava. The tart and sweet finish matches the palate.
WORDS WORDS WORDS
This spirit is different than contemporary Dalwhinnie, and I prefer it. Both wilder and more varied, it delivers a fuller and more interesting drinking experience. Though this 30yo was not a home run, I wanted more of it because there's more "there" there. (Excellent sentence, man.) And though I don't make outright recommendations on this site, I do encourage anyone with a bottle of old Dalwhinnie (except for the 15) to open it up and indulge in a style that doesn't exist anymore.
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