The Dalmore Decades

At 12:02am on Saturday, 1 January 2000, The Dalmore is the first distillery in Scotland to create a new spirit in the new millennium. This is filled into a Matusalem oloroso Sherry cask where it is nurtured by hand for the next 20 years.

This exceptional single malt has been crafted entirely in Matusalem sherry butts from the González Byass bodega in southern Spain.

Matured in a solera system for at least 30 years - Matusalem is a blend of 75% Palomino and 25% Pedro Ximénez grapes, combining to perfection the depth of an aged sherry with the sweetness of a dessert wine.

Matusalem casks are available exclusively to The Dalmore, their influence integral to most of our expressions today. The 2000 is an extremely rare example of a Dalmore fully matured in these exquisite casks.

Aged initially in ex-Bourbon casks, this 25 year old whisky was then transferred into a Graham’s vintage Port Pipe from 1994 - an excellent, opulent year that was widely declared - before being crafted by hand for more than five years in a barrique used to mature Tintilla de Rota.

Tintilla de Rota is a sweet fortified wine from southern Spain, much celebrated and sold to the Spanish royal family in the 19th century, then all but forgotten before its revival by González Byass. Its unique character lends a new dimension of flavour to this amber shining liquid.

The dram itself combines a silky haze of exquisite flavours - Madagascan vanilla pod, liquorice spice, crushed pineapple and Bramley apples. It continues with layers of caramel fudge, gingerbread smothered with icing sugar, soft chewy macaroons and cassis.

At The Dalmore, the journey usually begins by filling spirit into ex-Bourbon casks, before transferring the whisky into hand-selected, exquisite casks from a variety of sources: Sherry, Port or fine wines.

This decadent whisky moves from Bourbon casks into Matusalem Sherry butts, and then spends more than five years back in first-fill ex-Bourbon casks before bottling - a bold move which brings renewed life and vivacity to the spirit, creating a true masterpiece of malt.

In the glass, the whisky is firm and positive - this beautifully orchestrated single malt layers and coats the tongue with a rhapsody of enticing flavours of baked banana bread, vanilla custard laced with Pedro Ximénez Sherry, Christstollen cake and chocolate truffles. Leaving it long on the palate will unlock secret flavours of toffee apple, coconut blancmange, mulled wine and sun-kissed raisins.

A rare gem, this single malt has yet one more layer of complexity and exclusivity, thanks to ending its maturation journey in an exceptionally rare Graham’s vintage Port Pipe from 1952 - a year of post-war austerity when only tiny quantities of vintage Port were made.

The nose is a carousel of dark, plummy fruits, Napoleon cake laced with aged oloroso, honeyed chocolate and sticky toffee pudding. Exuberant and charming nuances of Seville oranges, coffee-esque, liquorice spice and sweet sultanas. A finale of hawthorn blossom, fig syrup, Turkish delight and tarte tatin.

As the spirit lingers long on the palate, hidden treasures are unlocked: toasted pistachios, caramel fudge, maraschino cherries and Demerara sugar. Mouthwatering blood oranges, treacle tart, Rwanda black coffee and a touch of kirsch.