The Dalmore 18 Years Old is a single malt whisky that sits in the north Highland distillery’s core domestic range. It is joined by whiskies at 12-, 15- and 21 Years Old, plus the no age statement Cigar Malt, Port Wood Reserve and King Alexander III. The core range is supplemented by several limited edition releases each year.
Dalmore 18 Years Old was first released 2009 and was the first time that the distillery had ever released a whisky at that particular age. Unlike the 12- and 15 Years Old expressions, this whisky is produced in annual batches. The whisky has been matured firstly in American oak ex-bourbon casks before transferring to rare ex-Matusalem sherry casks for a lengthy secondary maturation.
The Dalmore distillery is located in the northern Highland town of Alness. It was founded in 1839 by Alexander Matheson and has been operated by the current owners, Whyte & Mackay, since the 1960s. Whyte & Mackay is now part of a larger Phillipines-based company Emperador Inc. – they also own the Jura, Fettercairn and Tamnavulin single malt and Invergordon single grain distilleries in Scotland.
The Dalmore distillery is coming towards the end of a major renovation and expansion programme, which began in 2022 and will see the annual production capacity double to nine million litres. Production at the new facility is expected to begin in Spring 2025. The whisky produced there is shared between The Dalmore’s single malts and contributing to the popular Whyte & Mackay blended range. The Dalmore single malt sales have increased rapidly in the last two decades with the brand aiming at the premium market.
The Dalmore 18 Years Old is bottled at 43% ABV and can be purchased in specialist whisky and luxury retailers worldwide. A bottle should cost around £300. Our sample was from the 2023 batch, so may slightly differ from other batches on the market.
Our Tasting Notes
The colour of this new 18 years old is deep coppery amber and the nose is pleasantly sweet and rich. There is plenty of malted barley aromas that are quickly joined by the classic sherry cask characteristics – dried fruits (think of raisins, sultanas and apricot jam), candied peel (especially oranges), nuts (imagine walnuts and almonds) and caramel. Some milk chocolate and a damp earthy quality also come through.
On the palate, this feels full bodied, luxurious and silky. The sherry cask notes from the nose are prominent – there is plenty of dried fruit, especially raisins, and this is complimented by a lovely woody and nutty spiciness (think of a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and walnuts). In addition, there are other elements – imagine slightly bitter candied orange peel or orange oil, caramel, vanilla and a hint of something darker that is reminiscent of dark chocolate, cocoa powder and roasted coffee. A hint of super ripe tropical fruit comes through at the end, as does an uplifting pinch of icing sugar.
The finish is rich and fruity (that dried fruit and candied peel again) with a warm spiciness – imagine cinnamon, gingerbread and a hint of clove. This spiciness draws the length out and is complimented by a distinct bitter and slightly tannic woodiness.
What’s The Verdict?
The Dalmore 18 Years Old is a lovely, rich and smooth whisky. If you like your fruity sherry cask matured whiskies, ‘sherry bombs’ or if you drink other richer spirits such as dark rum, Cognac or Armagnac, then this is for you. The whisky shows how good single malts of this age can be when matured in top quality ex-sherry casks for a decent length of time. A lttle pricey compared to it contemporaries but well worth a try for a truly refined dram. For further information on The Dalmore then go to www.thedalmore.com.
