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By: David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 5/20/2023 | Send Email
This punchy little Dalmore isn't at all what many people are expecting. It doesn't fit nicely into the Dalmore box, either the very malt off oak IB style or the over sweet OB style. The nose is both funky and malt with hints of kirsch, black pepper, calvados, gravel, roasted nuts and biscuits. One the palate it remains kirsch-y (cherry eau-de-vie), adds vanilla, a creamy texture, less pepper and savory notes. Now with water it really opens up gorgeously! A rich nutty character now, some medium roast arabica, toasted herbs, apricots, loquat, persimmon. ON the palate now some lemon oil and a big peppery malt character. This is a wild dram that really doesn't fit into anyone's ideas of what it should be, but I think will intriguing most malt drinkers with it's idiosyncratic style.
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By: Will Blakely | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 5/5/2023 | Send Email
Without question, single casks of Dalmore have become something of a legend in recent years. The distillery has cloistered and held back stock to go into their top end releases, leaving us to languish and yearn for some morsel to slip through the cracks. This bottling from Hart Brothers has answered our prayers, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have such a fine specimen in-store once again. From first pour, you're greeted by mouthwatering aromas of honey, marmalade, apricot and raspberry preserve. The first sip rewards you with nougat, candied citrus, flaky pastry, heather and salted peanuts. Something I always love from Dalmore - a winsome flavor and texture like rich custard - makes this feel nostalgic and supremely satisfying. It hits everything I miss about barrels that used to be much more readily available. I will note that the sherry here feels a lot less like Oloroso and much more like Fino - it's delicate and integrated rather than fudgy and sticky, and the flavors tend more toward lemon peel, stone fruit and sea salt. Regardless, this undeniably presents tremendous quality for the price, and I would be surprised to see this last more than a month or two on the shelves. Grab as many as you can before they disappear.
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