Possessing a history as rich as its house style, The Dalmore Distillery is located in the beautiful Highland town of Alness, near the mouth of the River Averon. If you love your history, The Dalmore is famous for its fascinating and highly recommended distillery tours. The signature character of The Dalmore can only be described as luxuriously opulent. The majority of Dalmore spirit is matured in specially selected sherry and port casks, resulting in notes of silky chocolate, orange and rich nutty flavours.
A bit of History
Technically, The Dalmore can trace its legacy back as far as 1263 (but we’ll get to that later). Established by entrepreneur and merchant adventurer Alexander Matheson in 1839, Matheson had one goal in mind – to create a truly exceptional Single Malt Whisky. Unlike many distilleries, The Dalmore has changed ownership very few times in its 185-year history and only one closure during World War I. Thanks to its strategic location near the North Sea, the distillery premises was used by the Royal Navy to manufacture American mines. The distillery resumed production in 1922, and has been going from strength to strength since.
The Stag
One of things that make The Dalmore instantly recognisable is the 12 pointed stag that adorns every bottle, the origin of which can be dated back to the 13th century. In 1263, the iconic emblem was bestowed upon Colin of Kintail, the first chieftain of Clan Mackenzie, after he saved the life of King Alexander III of Scotland from the fury of a charging stag. Descendants of the Mackenzie clan took up the lease for the distillery in 1878, and bestowed their regal legacy upon The Dalmore.
Fun Fact: The stag on some older bottlings of Dalmore are made of silver, of which were made in The Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham, which is also where HTFW is based!
The Whisky-Makers
The legendary Richard Paterson (OBE) has been the creative force behind The Dalmore for nearly five decades. A pioneer in the art of cask curation, his unparalleled expertise and intimate knowledge of rare and precious casks has produced truly iconic, ground-breaking expressions. Paterson has never shied away from pushing the boundaries of what is possible in whisky production, which is why he is admired across the globe for his passion and innovative flair.
Paterson lit the way for current Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass, who continues an unbroken chain of visionary whisky makers at The Dalmore. Glass was deservedly awarded Master Distiller of the Year 2023 at the Global Icons of Whisky Awards, thanks to his expert knowledge and ability to combine tradition with fascinating new ideas in whisky innovation.
Here are a few great examples of what The Dalmore has to offer…
The Dalmore 30 Year Old Single Malt (2024)
70cl | 43.8%
A truly timeless Highland Single Malt, initially matured in American white oak barrels, and then finished in a unique combination of exceptionally rare Colheita and 1982 single harvest Tawny Port casks from Graham’s Port.
On the nose there are aromas of Manuka honey and rich dark berry fruits. The fruit continues on the palate with Maraschino cherries and hints of Columbian coffee. Lingering notes of moist ginger cake and sugared almonds complete this luxurious experience.
The Dalmore 21 Year Old Single Malt (2023)
70cl | 43.8%
An exceptional Whisky matured in American white oak ex-bourbon casks and first-fill sherry casks which have previously held 30 year old Matusalem Oloroso Sherry. These Sherry casks are hand selected exclusively for The Dalmore from the world-renowned Gonzalez Byass bodega to create an extraordinary whisky full of character.
The nose opens with notes of dark bitter chocolate and rich coffee spiked with orange syrup. The palate leads on with notes of heavily sugared marzipan and black forest fruits. Long and lingering on the finish, with an unexpected hit of ginseng and pear tarte tatin.
The Dalmore 18 Year Old Single Malt (2023)
70cl | 43%
The Dalmore 18 is truly an exceptional Single Malt, and lucky for us, it is an annual release! 2023 Edition was nurtured by hand in American white oak ex-bourbon casks and aged Matusalem Oloroso sherry casks, patiently maturing for 18 years under the expert eye of the whisky makers.
The nose delivers the signature dark chocolate aromas, with the complementary edition of sweet liquorice and creamy vanilla. The cocoa continues on the palate in the form of chocolate covered raisins alongside nutmeg and citrus fruits. The finish is long yet gentle with butter toffee and stewed fruits.
These examples are by no means exhaustive, The Dalmore have a myriad of expressions that are a joy to experience – many of which are available on our Dalmore page.
