The Dalmore 12 Year Old

The Dalmore distillery sits on the northern shore of the Cromarty Firth in the Scottish Highlands, drawing water from the River Alness and operating since 1839. The 12 Year Old is the distillery's flagship expression and a reliable introduction to the house style, which is built around an unusually detailed cask maturation program. The whisky spends the majority of its maturation in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels before a portion is finished in Matusalem oloroso sherry butts from Gonzalez Byass, with additional parcels finished in sweet and dry sherry casks. These components are then married to produce the final blend. The result is a Highland single malt that leans toward richness and sweetness rather than peat or austerity. Dalmore is also known for its distinctive stag emblem and its tall, broad-shouldered copper pot stills, which produce a heavier, oilier new make spirit that carries well through extended wood aging. At $124.99 for a 750ml bottle, the 12 Year Old sits in a competitive part of the market, but it offers a degree of cask complexity that many age-stated expressions at this price point do not. It is a sound choice for anyone who enjoys sherry-influenced Highland malts.