New Dalmore 21 vs 2003


October 11, 2022

Little duos, today Dalmore 21 vs 2003

Kings of wild premiumisation, but kings of great malt whisky too when the distillate is allowed to shine. Oh and the oranges… As for the word 'flathead', it keeps reminding me of their stills… and of those old Harleys.

Dalmore 21 yo (43.8%, OB, +/-2022)

This is the latest batch of this 'very epitome of whisky-making artistry' according to the Distillery's own copywrit… I mean, content creators. We never take prices into consideration, but we did notice that in this very case, it was north of 600€ (a bottle, not a case). We do also know that Dalmore is a very superlative distillate. This very one was matured in refill and fresh American oak, then finished in Matusalem oloroso, most probably from Gonzalez Byass. Colour: full gold. Nose: impressive freshness here, closer to the older 20 yo 'Duncan MacBeth' than to the more recent 21 yos, which is great news as those old 20 yos were really utterly stunning. Superb touches of raisins and beer sauce, kougelhopf, touch of bouillon, the trademark oranges, camphor and menthol, cigars, chocolate, Timut pepper… This is almost like a reedition an old LP, carefully remastered. Let's say… hold on, why not ELP's Tarkus? Mouth: totally impeccable and integrally Dalmore. I mean, first on marmalade, chocolate and tobacco, then with smaller dried fruits, papayas, bananas… A lighter fruitcake, shall we say. Finish: medium, on all kind of raisins but with no cloying sweetness whatsoever. Tobacco and tea in the aftertaste. Comments: they went rather easier on the sherry, no? Or am I dreaming? Great bottle, nonetheless.
SGP:551 - 89 points.

Dalmore 2003/2022 'Vintage' (46.9%, OB)

A little more wood sorcery here, as the casks have first been matured in refill and new American oak, then finished separately in Rivesaltes (Vin Doux Naturel, a.k.a. VDN), Matusalem sherry, Amoroso sherry (so basically cream) and ex-bourbon, before being blended away by Dalmore's… err, blenders. Phew! Dalmore have previously bottled several other 2003s. Colour: gold. Nose: even less on sherry, and consequently, more on American oak, including fresh vanilla, guavas and bananas, with whiffs of cut pinewood in the background, as well as balsa, cedar, old-style ointments, then camphor and sauna oils. We're no experts in sauna oils, I should add. In any case, this is much less sherry-driven than the 21, which, in turn, was less sherry-drive, than earlier middle-aged Ds.. Mouth: the palate mirrors the nose, with similar pinewoody and chartreuse-y notes, nougat, thin mints, chestnut honey, then the expected chocolate and marmalade combo. Good nervousness here, you don't need to be buried in an old leather armchair to enjoy this one. Finish: medium, a tad jammier, with some lovely crystallised herbs and roots, not quite ginger, rather angelica. Comments: an invigorating and complex Dalmore within which the Rivesaltes and the cream sherry have been keeping a low profile, for more zing. Love it (and the price is almost half of that of the 21).
SGP:551 - 90 points.

Check the index of all Dalmore we've tasted so far