Cover The new Dalmore 18
The new Dalmore 18
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Tapping into its whisky know-how and massive reserves, the distillery’s two new releases this year celebrate its masterful use of the ex-sherry casks—including the rare 30-year-old Matusalem Oloroso sherry butts exclusive to The Dalmore
Innovation has long been a part of the Scotch whisky industry. Since its founding in 1839, The Dalmore distillery has been at the forefront of pioneering whisky-making techniques and practices such as its multi-cask maturation process (ageing the new make spirit in different casks) that have given birth to a multitude of award-winning signature expressions that captivated whisky lovers the world over.
One of these is the iconic The Dalmore 18, a single malt first introduced in 2009 that has continued to evolve with the times and ever-changing palates, that sees an annual limited-release. Master whisky maker and blender Gregg Glass describes the new The Dalmore 18 years as the “epitome of our house style”, and it is so easy to fall in love with it from the exact moment the delightful aromas of vanilla, dark chocolate and sweet liquorice envelop your olfactory senses, to the time the amber liquid graces your palate with its distinct notes of chocolate, raisins, citrus fruits, coffee and spice.
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Above The new Dalmore 18
The new Dalmore 18
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The secret to the expression’s beautiful complexity lies in its choice of casks. The Dalmore’s whisky-making team understands how casks influence the whisky’s flavours and aromas, using only the finest sherry casks sourced from the sherry-making region of Jerez de la Frontera in the south of Spain.
This region holds a special making in the world of sherry wine-making, given that it is one of only three locations (dubbed the Sherry Triangle) which has the rights to produce this fortified wine. Its terroir—with its white Albariza soil comprising 60 per cent chalk and limestone, mild winters and hot summers—is ideal for growing grapes used in the production of the finest sherry. The casks which held the sherry wines are then given a second life with the production of The Dalmore whiskies.
The new Dalmore 18 in particular, was first matured in American white oak ex-bourbon casks before it was finished in the rare 30-year-old Matusalem Oloroso sherry casks. This unique ageing method is unlike any other distilleries in Scotland, owing to the fact that The Dalmore holds exclusive rights to the use of the 30-year-old Matusalem Oloroso sherry casks.
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The Dalmore Cask Curation Series Sherry Edition
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Never one to rest on the laurels of its signature expressions, The Dalmore continues to innovate with novel releases that tap on its whisky-making expertise and massive collection of whisky reserves sleeping in its cellars. Its latest offering is The Dalmore Cask Curation Series, an exclusive collection of limited-edition whiskies that honours the makers and their partnerships with the distillery. The series will only be released for four years, and only 150 sets will be available globally each year.
The Dalmore’s mastery of sherry casks is showcased in its first release, aptly called the Sherry Edition. The set comprises three covetable aged-statement whiskies: the 26 Year Old, finished in rare 2002 vintage, cask No. 4; the 28 Year Old, finished in rare 30-year-old Matusalem sherry cask; and the 43 Year Old, finished in extremely rare 30-year-old Apostoles sherry cask.
The collection comes in a bespoke, leather-finished travel case hand-crafted by artisans in Florence, Italy. In total, the bottles boast more than 80 years of maturation in these exclusive casks, making them highly prized on the collector’s display shelf.
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With the rarity and exclusivity of the Sherry Edition, it will no doubt be quickly snapped up by connoisseurs and whisky collectors alike, judging by The Dalmore’s long history of rare releases that have performed exceptionally well. For instance, its 62-year-old expression was sold at £114,000 (S$245,000) at Christie’s in 2017, while in 2021, The Dalmore Decades No. 6 Collection was auctioned off at a whopping US$1.24 million (S$1.88 million) at Sotheby’s.
With The Dalmore part of Emperor Inc’s massive whisky portfolio, the Philippines’ largest liquor company and SGX-listed company continues to dominate the global Scotch whisky industry with its award-winning expressions.
Find out more about The Dalmore 18 years 2023 edition and the Sherry Edition here.
Credits
Images: The Dalmore
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Dudi Aureus is the senior dining and travel editor at Tatler Singapore, covering the city’s most exciting restaurants, global travel trends, and the personalities shaping the culinary and lifestyle scenes. She also serves as co-jury chair for the Tatler Best awards in Singapore, celebrating the very best in hospitality. When she’s off duty, she can often be found at a favourite hole-in-the-wall Thai spot, savouring a perfectly balanced pad thai.
