Dalmore - 12yo

For the past year and a half to two years I have been a part of the Australian Single Malt Whisky Club. Each month they send me a bottle of single malt whisky that I would otherwise be unable to purchase from the local alcohol merchants. It's a passion that started after a fantastic time I had exploring Scotland's whisky in 2004.

Today I was delivered a fancy bottle of Dalmore 12yo. I'll quote the site as they don't have a permalink.

Dalmore is literaly, "the big meadowland". The distillery is situated North of the the traditional highlands, drawing its water from the Alness River, near the city of Inverness.

Colour: Rich, deep, golden mahogany.

Nose: Intense and firm. Well structured with silky smooth malty tones - a hint of Oloroso sherry lingers in the background. It shows great finesse, extolling fragrances of orange, marmalade and spiced notes.

Taste: Good attack on the mouth, more elegance than muscle. The aged Oloroso butts smooth its rich, fleshy body with great harmony. Almost a concentrated citric mouth-feel captivates and tantalises the middle part of your tongue. An aftertaste of great abundance rewards the palate. A Highland malt of great distinction.

Not sure if all of that actually applies to the whisky. My nose and palate is not as honed as whoever wrote that. I find whisky descriptions a lot like a real estate advertisement. You never really know until you give it a good look yourself and to be weary of "renovator's delights". This is especially relevant to whisky.

So I have my dram and shall give it a go. This is live whisky-blogging. The interwub is a powerful beast often abused. :)

Colour, all correct. It has the fantastic colour to it. Nose, not sure. It's a little blocked and my ability to detect faint scents has never been tip-top. Sorry to disappoint you all but from what I can tell there is no marmalade.

The taste is delightful, strong yet smooth and the faint citrus on the tip of your tongue is present. I rather like this.

Onto the shelf it goes for an occasion that warrants it, like a guest. So if you ever come around for dinner. Ask for a dram of the Dalmore 12yo, to (probably) misquote Iain Banks in his book Raw Spirit.

The perfect size for a dram is one that pleases the guest and the host.