1997 Dailuaine 16 Year Old K&L Exclusive Signatory Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (750ml)

Dailuaine is a lovely little whisky. I don't love it any less now that I've been chased off the distillery grounds. In fact the whole complex is very unusual. When we were there this year it seemed as though an endless amount of construction was at a standstill. This is also where Diageo has their "Dark Grains" processing facility, which turns the spent barley into pellets for animal feed. The dark industrial dreeriness of this distillery, hidden in a hollow not far from the hill of Rinnes, totally flies in the face of the wonderfully fresh and vibrant malt that they produce. We were actually considering bottling this at 46% because we really liked how it took water, but when we saw how reasonable the cask strength price was we decided to give you the option at home. This has a very classically Dailuaine nose of fresh malt, white pepper, and green apples. It's very off the oak and on the malt. On the palate, the pomace nature continues, with a rich oily maltiness that gives it length. Slight hints of brown sugar, almond, and vanilla pop up with water. That big malty side is tamed perfectly with the addition of water and brings out more subtle aromas on the palate. Now we have some exotic barks, subtle herbal notes, and some baked apple qualities. All in all this is a really fun whisky at an absolutely unbeatable price. (David Othenin-Girard, Spirits Buyer)