Things I Really Drink: Dalmore 14 year old PX Cask (USA Exclusive)

Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have a bottle of Dalmore open. Correction, I have a half bottle. Dr. Springbank and I went halfsies on the Dalmore 14 year old PX Cask which was released exclusively for US Americans.

The Whisky Advocate has the full scoop: "It is aged in bourbon barrels, then 40-60% of the liquid is transferred to Pedro Ximénez sherry casks from Gonzalez Byass in Jerez, Spain for approximately 2 years while the balance remains in bourbon barrels. The two parcels are then blended."

That sounds exactly like the Port Wood Reserve, but with PX casks and more age. And it's priced lower than the Port Wood Reserve because it doesn't have "Reserve" in its name.

Distillery: Dalmore

Region: Highlands (Northern)

Ownership: Emperador Distillers Inc (via White & Mackay)

Range: The Principal Collection

Age: minimum 14 years

Maturation: see notes above

Alcohol by Volume: 43.8%

Chillfiltered? ???

Colorant Added? ???

NOTES

Though vanilla appears early in the nose, none of the 12yo Sherry Select's outright barrel char shows up. Broken stones, rope, and a hint of mushrooms highlight the foreground, with florals in the midground, and grapes and cherries in the back. With time it picks up lemon juice, and the vanilla extract turns into almond extract.

The least sweet and woody of this week's Dalmore palates, this 14yo leads with figs, carob, and menthol. Hints of golden raisins and tart limes drift around sides.

It finishes with dried cranberries and dried cherries (minus all the sugar), and mix of tart and bitter citrus.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I like this more than the Kilkerran 8yo CS Port Cask that I also split with Dr. Springbank. Life is weird. There have been times I have chosen to drink this. I would buy my own bottle, were Dalmore 14 half its actual price. (See, I'm not entirely crazy.) The PX casketry feels more like a second maturation than a polish or a "finesse", the fruit elements work, and its conclusion sticks around for a while. My new Dalmore champion! How about that?

Availability - USA
Pricing - $90ish
Rating - 85

Dalmore 12 year old Sherry Cask Select

Dalmore 12 year old Sherry Cask Select has three more alcohol percentage points and "twice the Sherry influence as the traditional 12 Year Old." The latter quote is from the official site which makes no effort to explain it. Luckily, Mr. Theakson at Drinkhacker reveals that the Select is finished for two years in Oloroso and PX casks.

That a whisky company which prides itself on its fancy sherry casks uses them only to finish all of their standard releases (save some of the oldies) feels very contemporary. Of course, not all finishes are the same, but I'm hoping those two years offer up more than just lip pigmentation.

Yes, you're welcome.

pic pilfered from
Whiskybase

Distillery: Dalmore

Region: Highlands (Northern)
Ownership: Emperador Distillers Inc (via White & Mackay)

Range: The Principal Collection

Age: minimum 12 years
Maturation: Round 1: ten years in American oak. Round 2: two years in Oloroso and PX sherry casks
Alcohol by Volume: 43%

Chillfiltered? Yes
Colorant Added? Yes

(thank you to Dr. Springbank for this sample from his bottle!)

NOTES

Orange peel, yuzu juice, toasted almonds fill the nose's foreground, with barrel char, dark chocolate, and stones in the middle, and cherry lollipops in the back. It gets prettier and more floral with time in the glass.

The palate starts on tart cherries, then switches to sugar and tannins. Flower kiss candy appears after 20 minutes, as do small notes of bitterness and smoke.

Though it finishes sweetly, there are fewer tannins here. Blueberries and ginger, then a mellow bitterness.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Like Monday's Port Wood, the nose wins, but here the palate survives the oak, then finishes nicely, resulting in a reliable anytime pour. I have no idea why Dalmore priced this lower than the Port Wood, but it still ain't cheap for a 43%abv 12 year old that wouldn't stand out in a crowd. Then again, is $80 the going rate for daily drinkers now? I hope not. Anyway, this is the best contemporary Dalmore I've tried. So far.

Availability - North America, Europe, and Asia
Pricing - $80ish
Rating - 83

Dalmore Port Wood Reserve (US release)

Here are the top three reasons that the name "Dalmore" has rarely been mentioned on this blog during the 11.5 years I've reviewed spirits here:

1. Their bottling plant suffers from an dangerously excessive water supply. I mean, that's why their whiskies are so aggressively diluted, right?
2. As single malt sales began warming up 10 years ago, Dalmore declared itself a luxury brand, boosting prices on its age-stated malts higher than any other brand, save (maybe) Macallan. Meanwhile Dalmore single malt offers nothing quality-wise that every other sherry cask whisky doesn't. So it was luxury-because-we-say-so, which is my least favorite thing next to......
3. Richard Paterson ostentatiously dumping whisky on the floor is the douchiest whisky thing ever recorded on video, which is saying something considering the competition. You gonna get down on the floor and clean that up yourself, Dick? Didn't think so.

Anyway, I have two good friends who like(d) Dalmore's single malt, and they graciously provided me with samples from their bottles. So I'm going to do one week of Dalmore reviews then avoid them forever, unless more bourbon cask indie releases appear.

I'll start off with Dalmore's standard Port Wood Reserve release. Ah yes, "Reserve". That's Scotch for "three to five years old". So of course it costs $100.

Pro: It's bottled at the very-un-Dalmore strength of 46.5%abv!

Started out a Pro but turned into a ???: Its contents started out in American oak, yay! Then half stayed in American oak, yay! The other half spent an unspecified amount of time in tawny port casks, and was then blended with the American oak portion.

Distillery: Dalmore

Region: Highlands (Northern)
Ownership: Emperador Distillers Inc (via White & Mackay)

Range: The Principal Collection

Age: ???
Maturation: Step 1 - Matured in American oak. Step 2 - Half re-casked into tawny port casks. Step 3 - Marry both halves together.
Alcohol by Volume: 46.5%

Chillfiltered? I don't know
Colorant Added? Probably

(thank you to BR for this sample from his bottle!)

NOTES

Whew, the nose starts off fusty like a dusty, which I kinda like. Even after that characteristic wanes, it leaves behind a nice dirty edge. Beyond the fust lies fudge, roses, raspberries and lemon peel.

Less of the dusty fusty on the palate, though here it reads more like Loch Lomond funk, and it dissipates quickly. Unfortunately it's replaced by tannins. On the hand, its sweetness is well moderated by tangy berries and tart citrus.

Berry jam leads the finish, though it's not too sweet. Bitter oak lingers in the background.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

The nose wins by a good length, a common occurrence with cask-heavy spirits, but the palate is better than I'd expected. The finish was not. I'm not sure if everyone will find that same quirky character in the nose and palate (Serge's notes suggest something sulfuric), so this might be a Rorschach test for some. I think it could have been an interesting competitor for Glenmo's Quinta Ruban, had the Reserve been priced more realistically. But alas, Dalmore.

Availability - North America, Europe, and Asia
Pricing - $100+
Rating - 80

Royal Lochnagar 19 year old Cadenhead Small Batch, 56.6%abv

On Wednesday I reviewed my third-ever Cardhu. Today I'll review my third-ever Royal Lochnagar. Truly, it is a week of milestones.

Diageo's smallest distillery, Royal Lochnagar has historically been one of Johnnie Walker Blue Label's main malts, while also making appearances in the Pinch and Windsor blends. Cadenhead bottled a number of 1996 vintage Lochnagars, and this may well be one of them, but I'm not sure. Just to add to the confusion, there is a 56.3%abv batch and a 56.6%abv batch. This, the oldest RL single malt I've had, is the latter.

Distillery: Royal Lochnagar

Region: Middle Eastern Highlands
Owner: Diageo

Independent Bottler: Cadenhead
Range: Small Batch

Age: minimum 19 years

Maturation: ???

Outturn: ???

Alcohol by Volume: 56.6%
Chillfiltered: No
Colored: No

(from a bottle split)

NEAT

The nose starts off well, with a mix of dried currants, figs, and hint of industrial smoke. Small notes of white chocolate macadamia cookies and kiwis fill in around the edges. Orange liqueur, tart lemons, and pencil shavings lead the palate. Hints of almond extract and peaches show up occasionally. It's also VERY tannic. The finish gets oakier with time. Tart citrus and eucalyptus struggle to be heard.

DILUTED to 46%abv, or 1¼ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

The nose becomes slightly farmy, with the industrial character retreated to the back. A little bit of oak spice drifts around. Sadly the palate gets oakier and papery. Oranges, limes, and almond extract can't push through. It finishes bitterly. Such is life.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Quite a quality split between the nose and palate. I really enjoyed the breadth of the former, but struggled with the narrowness of the latter. I'm not sure what the maturation vessel was other than a capital 'C' Cask. Neither water nor time helped relieve the tannins. Had the flavors paralleled the scents, this would have been a heck of a whisky. Alas no. I doubt I'll chase after other Royal Lochnagar samples/splits in the future.

Availability - Sold out?
Pricing - ???
Rating - 81

Cardhu 14 year old 2006, Special Release 2021

With today's post, I am doubling this blog's Cardhu review grand total. You're welcome! In fact, this is only the third Cardhu I've ever tried. Most recently I consumed the GoT House of Schmargaryanne Gold Forgettable (man, what a limp collection that was). And a decade ago, during a head-to-head of Cardhu 12 against Johnnie Walker Green Label, JW pantsed the 'dhu repeatedly. Thus my expectations for this Diageo Special Release are not high. But I'm trying here, people, I'm trying!

Distillery: Cardhu
Ownership: Diageo

Range: Special Release
Age: at least 14 years old (2006 - 2021)
Maturation: refill American oak + red wine cask finish
Outturn: ?????
Alcohol by Volume: 55.5%

Chillfiltered? No
Colorant Added? Not much if any

(from a bottle split)

NEAT

The nose is...a nose. It starts with a mix of raw grain, sesame seeds, and clay. Then things get wild. Suave Naturals raspberry conditioner (do they still make that?), toasted coconut, perfume, and steel wool show up together like a K-Pop crew from hell. Then orange blossoms and a salty broth call out from the background. The palate arrives alive. Moderate amounts of sweet (golden syrup), floral (blossoms), and salt (salt). Hint of lime, a touch of Chambord. Not much oak. Cherry juice, chile oil, and white jellybeans roll through the finish.

That was a thing. Now with water!

DILUTED to 46%abv, or 1¼ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

At this strength, the nose has more malt, less wine. More flowers, less perfume. Something coastal arises in the distance. Much better palate too. Tart fruits take over the foreground, while the sweets (golden syrup and butterscotch) retreat to the back. A gentle sweetness finishes it off.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Though I cannot say this whisky has inspired me to try a fourth Cardhu, it was still better than the two I'd tried previously. In fact it's pretty good once diluted, though a certifiable hot mess when neat. A lot of these bottles remain on the shelves and, judging by the prices, retailers don't know what to do with the damned things.

Availability - The First World
Pricing - $150-$400 (USA), $120-$250 (Europe)
Rating - 83 (diluted only)

Balmenach 11 year old Old Particular, cask DL12563 for K&L

After offering up some fairly organized distillery groupings, this blog's throwing you a trio of Oh Yeah That Distillery Exists reviews this week. It's all Speyside(-adjacent) stuff, and I really don't know what to expect. But the samples were getting lonely, and I'm hoping to find something fun hidden within the bottles.

First up, Balmenach!

Distillery: Balmenach
Ownership: Thai Beverages plc (via Inver House Distillers)
Independent Bottler: Douglas Laing

Range: Old Particular
Age: 11 years old (Sept 2006 - Aug 2018)
Maturation: Refill Hogshead
Cask#: DL 12563
Outturn: 284
Alcohol by Volume: 59.3%
Exclusive to: K&L Wine Merchants

Chillfiltered? No
Colorant Added? No

(from a bottle split)

Color: 🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🚾, my fave!

NEAT

We're close to (very good) new make on the nose, farmy and almost smoky. Cherry lollies, raspberry jam, golden raisins, and a hint of shortbread. The palate is neither too hot nor too sweet. Yeah it has honey, cinnamon red hots, and red Twizzlers, but imagine those essences without so much sugar involved. It has a slight maltiness in the background, along with anise and salt. It finishes with a curious almost-dragonfruit note, along with tart limes and cinnamon red hots. A good length to it too.

DILUTED to 46%abv, or 1¾ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

Oh, the nose goes very fruity, like a juice made of mango, papaya, peach, and ginger. The palate gets more floral, while leaning more towards fruit than candy. No weird oak stuff! It finishes with a proper balance sweet and tart.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Is this what happens when you don't mess with Balmenach's spirit? Because this is my kind of baby whisky! I'd drink this neatly any time, but it can take a lot of water too. K&L slung this malt for the right price, four years ago. I missed out!

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - $44.99
Rating - 87

Daftmill 2009 Summer Release (2020, USA)

The inclusion of a first-fill sherry cask in the mix makes this 2009 Summer Release different the other four Daftmills I've tried. The distillery's all-bourbon-barrel approach has been solid and reliable so far, but the 2007 Winter Release called out for some sort of twist. To try to gain perspective, I tried that batch side-by-side with this one. 

Distillery: Daftmill

Owner: Francis Cuthbert
Region: Bow of Fife, Lowlands

Age: 11 years (2009 - 2020)

Barley: Optic

Maturation: four(?) bourbon barrels + one first-fill sherry butt
Outturn: 1680 bottles

Exclusive to: USA

Alcohol by Volume: 46%abv
Chillfiltered? No
Colorant Added? No

(from a bottle split)

NOTES

Though the sherry cask brings a nuttier side to the 2009's nose, along with some dried cherries, a malty note stands its ground right up front. Cinnamon moves through the midground, while lychee and flowers linger in the back. If I tried this whisky blindly, I'd think its palate was that of an officially-bottled Aberlour, with the dried fruits leading the way at first. But a prettier element — full of hazelnut cream, roses, and plums — slowly takes over. The usual peppercorn note is replaced by a hint of pencil shavings. It finishes sweet and creamy, with quieter nut and flower notes in the background.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Yes, the sherry butt wasn't shy, but it did not tip this batch into winesky territory. Instead this Daftmill read fuller and thicker than the '07 Winter Release, and felt better blended than many bourbon+sherry cask single malts from much bigger batches and distilleries. I'd keep a lookout for future Daftmill batches with this cask combination were the bottle prices not so dear.

Availability - Possibly still available in the US
Pricing - $225-$300
Rating - 85