What we’re drinking: The Dalmore Cask Curation Series, The Red Wine Cask Edition
Where it’s from: Founded in 1839, The Dalmore is a Highlands single malt distillery that specializes in multi-cask maturation. You certainly recognize the bottles, as each one is adorned with the 12-point Royal Stag. The whiskies themselves are known for their notes of chocolate, orange and spice.
Why we’re drinking this: Well, I enjoyed last year’s Cask Curation collection, and it’s not often I get a chance to drink a five-figure whisky. So I was happy to dive in again with the three new bottles in this series.
How to Enjoy The Dalmore’s New $44,000 Single Malt Collection
Three extra-aged whiskies transform with some help from Portugal’s Douro ValleyThe Red Wine Cask Edition is the third edition of The Dalmore’s cask-focused series. These bottles, aged 24, 34 and 43 years, were initially matured in ex-bourbon and Matusalem Oloroso sherry casks and then finished in 2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine casks from Château Mont-Redon. Located in the Rhone Wine Region in the Southeast of France, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is highly regarded and produces wines that are characterized as “rich and plummy,” according to the distillery (with some secondary savory notes).
“This is a series that was created to celebrate our unique partnerships and collaborations with wineries and bodegas around the world,” says Craig Bridger, a VP of Sales and Advocacy for Whyte & Mackay (The Dalmore’s parent company), who guided my tasting. “It’s about highlighting these partnerships; in many instances, barrels from these places won’t go to any other distillery, except for The Dalmore.”
Unlike last year, The Dalmore didn’t use different casks for different age statements; these were all finished in 2023 Château Mont-Redon red wine casks. So you’re really concentrating on the evolution of flavor and character over time. Additionally, these three bottles all come in between 40-41% ABV.
“Even at that ABV, with all those tannins, it’s going to feel much, much heavier,” says Bridger. “And at a higher ABV, you lose the subtlety and the delicate floral notes.”
How they taste:
- Aged 24 Years: It’s almost like a flower garden on the nose, followed by orange zest. On the palate, it’s less floral, offering notes of figs, butterscotch, orange and a little nuttiness.
- Aged 34 Years: A nice, juicy mouthfeel here with warm wood spice notes and even a bit of a tropical vibe. Sip a bit more, and you’ll find hints of walnuts, hazelnuts, chocolate, caramel and berries.
- Aged 43 Years: Manuka honey, orange, baking spices and leather are present here, along with some tropical notes, dark chocolate and gentle oak spice.
“I think the overarching theme for these is delicacy,” says Bridger. “There’s an elegance and a softness here.”
Fun fact: The three whiskies come in a beautifully bespoke blue presentation case, hand-crafted by Italian luggage makers, AB Florence. It’s available in a rather stunning Lapis blue, a colorway inspired by the blue hue of the grapes on the vine as they grow and ripen; it also pays homage to both the French and Rhône-Alpes flags. Bridger handled the bottles with white gloves during our tasting, and thankfully, a pair of gloves does come with each box.
Where to buy: Only 150 sets are available globally, priced at $44,450.
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