Upon nosing, delightful aromas of citrus fruit dance alongside the allure of chocolate, complemented by fragrant hints of aromatic spices. A proportion of the spirit is then finessed in pinnacle Sherry casks, including 30-Year Old Matusalem Oloroso casks, exclusive to The Dalmore, to give the whisky a rich, nutty character. It’s full-bodied, with sweetening sherry in the mouth, along with spice and balance, delicate, citrus notes. Dalmore 12 is aged for 9 years in American white oak ex-bourbon casks, then in ex-oloroso sherry casks for the final three years.

It reveals notes of dried orange zest, dried lime zest and a touch of dried strawberry combined with a discreet hint of Sandalwood, hay as well as a very discreet hint of stewed white fruits (in the background), chocolate and spices. Facebook sets this cookie to show relevant advertisements to users by tracking user behaviour across the web, on sites that have Facebook pixel or Facebook social plugin. The Dalmore 12 is an outstanding single malt matured in American white oak ex-bourbon casks and finessed in rare and aged oloroso sherry casks. A series of ultra-premium bottlings have firmly cemented Dalmore as a prestigious name, with multiple releases breaking records at auction. The story of this dates back to 1263, when Colin of Kintail, Chief of the clan Mackenzie, saved King Alexander III of Scotland from a charging stag.The palate is aromatic, well-balanced, precise and offers a fine unctuosity, straightness, precision, fat and a good structure. As a reward the grateful King granted him lands and also the right to use the 12-pointed Royal Stag as the Mackenzie clan crest. Matured for an initial nine years in American white oak ex-bourbon casks, the spirit is then divided for it's final flourish where one half remains in the bourbon barrels while the other half is transferred to 30 year old Matusalem oloroso sherry butts before they are reunited to create this phenonenal whisky. There are a fair amount of layers to this 12 year old whisky starting with the aroma: dark honey, cereal, citrus, and vanilla. The nose is full citrus fruit, chocolate and aromatic spice, the palate has warm Seville orange and dried fruit notes and hints of vanilla pod.

The distillery predominantly uses Oloroso and PX sherry casks to create fruity and chocolatey single malts that make for an exceptional digestif. With water to open it up a tad, it became more savoury for me, with no smokiness, but more unburnt charcoal. Not going to bore you with recollections of "front nose this, and body taste that, notes of blah blah, pretentious exposition to make me sound sophisticated.Dalmore continues to lead the way in tradition, experimentation and prestige, making it hugely prized by enthusiasts and ensuring it keeps its place at the top table of global whisky. On the palate, this Scotch Whisky expresses notes of white fruit, pâtisseries and dried orange zest associated with a subtle touch of coffee bean, Sherry, sandalwood and a subtle grilled hint (in the background), vanilla and a hint cigar box. He hand-selects the casks from the world's finest wineries, bodegas and distilleries and ages the whiskies in them to create something truly remarkable.