Dalmore 2000 (Malts of Scotland)

The new batch of Malts of Scotland bottlings has arrived (by the way, if you want to know things like this sooner, follow WhiskyNotes on Facebook).

A few of the things we’ll surely try in the next few days: Highland Park 1989, Port Charlotte 2002, Bladnoch 1991, Tamdhu 1988, Glen Scotia 1992, etc. We’ll start with this Dalmore 2000.

Dalmore 12 yo 2000 (53,4%, Malts of Scotland 2012, sherry hogshead, MoS 12035, 290 btl.)

Nose: starts with lots of toffee alongside a few musty / organic notes which disappear quickly. Gets nicely sweet after that (more PX or cream sherry than classic oloroso), with plenty of dates and different types of jam: figs, strawberries and cherries. Some Demerara sugar and milk chocolate. Nice hints of mocha glaze.

Mouth: again quite sweet: baked apple, apricots, berries… More prominent spices now (pepper and ginger). Still that mocha theme with milk chocolate and hazelnuts. Light tobacco.

Finish: medium long, drier and slightly oakier, with lingering chocolate and herbs.

Maybe a little over the top in terms of sticky sherry sweetness (it’s kind of a liquefied bonbon with fruit liqueur filling) but pretty good in this genre. And don’t forget you rarely find this kind of intensity in the official (mostly 40% ABV) releases. Around € 55.

Score: 86/100