Scotch

The Dalmore Select Edition 2007 Review

Can a single dram make you forget the world around you? The Dalmore Select Edition 2007 18 Year Old comes remarkably close. Here's our full review.

OVERALL RATING

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Tasting Notes

About:

The Dalmore has unveiled two new limited-edition single malt Scotch whiskies, The Dalmore Select Edition 2007 18 Year Old and The Dalmore Select Edition 2010 15 Year Old, as part of its annual Select Editions Collection. Both expressions are one-time releases matured in rare sherry casks sourced exclusively from González Byass, with the 2007 priced at $549.99 and the 2010 at $249.99.

The releases stem from the distillery’s annual cask assessment, a tradition spanning more than five decades. Every November, The Dalmore’s whisky makers spend a full week in the distillery’s warehouses on the shores of the Cromarty Firth, personally nosing and evaluating every maturing cask.

The Select Edition 2007, bottled at 46.7% ABV, was matured in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels and finished in hand-selected Apóstoles and Amoroso sherry casks. The Select Edition 2010, bottled at 49.1% ABV, was matured in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels and finished in Matusalem and Amoroso sherry casks. Both expressions are non-chill filtered and of natural color.

“The annual cask assessment is one of the most important moments in our whisky-making calendar,” the whisky makers continued. “The Select Editions celebrate those rare moments when certain casks reveal a distinctive facet of our house style. While every cask is evaluated, only those destined for The Select Editions are chosen.”
Appearance:
Clear copper color with thick slow legs which clung to the glass. Tasted neat in a Glencairn.
Nose:
Just a beautiful nose of rich complexity. Chocolate, a good cup of rich coffee, biscuits, faint hints of peat or camp smoke, old oak and bourbon caramels.
Palate:
Sweet and smooth body with a good complexity. The mouthfeel was oily and notes of stewed peaches, salt, candied apples, warm oak, pipe tobacco, and warm tea.
Finish:
The finish was medium to long, not as long as I’d like but still excellent. You’ll be warmly greeted with cigar tobacco, clean brown sugar, chocolates and nice baking spices.
Comments:
This is a real treat and just excellent! Enough complexity to keep you engaged with the dram and almost enough to make you totally forget the world you’re in. It’s a nice example of a well-crafted Highland Scotch. Not a lot to pick apart here. You’ll want to share but be selective, and don’t mix this. If you’re a fan of The Dalmore already, you’ll enjoy this sincerely. They know what they’re doing and what this whisky means within the world of The Dalmore.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Charles Steele

Charles Steele, a Portland-based attorney, is a native of the Pacific Northwest. His legal background provides him with an analytical approach to understanding whiskey and other aged spirits. Primarily a legal writer, freelancing for The Whiskey Wash offers Charles a unique opportunity to showcase his versatility as a writer. Although his preference lies with whiskey and whiskey-based cocktails, he has a profound appreciation for all unique and unconventional liquors, from Malört to Ojen - if it's peculiar, he's intrigued.

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