Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve

Review #048 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 44% Comments: NAS, marriage of ex-bourbon barrels, ex-olorosso butts, and ex-Cabernet Sauvignon casks Tasted after: Dalmore Port Wood Reserve Appearance (no score): Auburn color. Swirling reveals a thick line sticking to the side of the glass, legs are slow to form. Nose: 18/20 Very fruit forward, juicy crushed raspberries, ripe plums, sugary cherry frosting, milk chocolate, banana bread, vanilla, and cinnamon. It’s very sweet and balanced and enjoyable to nose. Palate: 30/40 Initially very dull on the palate, freshly baked warm wheat bread and walnuts, but nothing really pops. After a moment there’s some oranges, just a hint of plumbs, dark chocolate, and some caramel. I really wish some of those bold juicy fruits from the nose would make an appearance here, because while it’s nice, it’s still just a bit dull. Finish: 31/40 Medium length. It could be that it’s because I’m accustomed to sipping this when smoking a cigar, but I always get a hint of tobacco smoke at the onset of the finish. Some brown sugar is introduced here, and I also get hints of cinnamon, salted nuts, and orange peel. The ending flavor left behind is a bit bitter. With Water: Baking spices are added to the palate and the plumb flavor is more prevalent. These are a welcome “pop” of flavor. The finish pays the price though by being noticeably shortened and taking on a more intense bitter nutty flavor. Total: 79/100 Final thoughts: It’s important to mention that I’m rating this whisky here as a stand-alone product. This is always a fun bottle to break out when smoking cigars with my buddies, and I keep one on hand for that (if I can find it on sale), and pretty much no other reason. It’s a completely different whisky when paired with a cigar, it becomes sweeter and does a terrific job balancing out the bitter tobacco smoke, but it’s not a bottle I’d ever reach for to sip on inside as a post-dinner dram. Therefore my recommend and buy comments below are situational and pertain to enjoying with a cigar, which is not how I graded it in this review (that’s me acknowledging the inconsistency). Honestly I think the distillery does a grave disservice to this spirit by chill filtering it and bottling below 46%, but I’ll continue to purchase as long as I can find it below $150 or until I find something else which does an equally good job at a better price point. Price: $145 Would recommend: yes Would buy: yes Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.

The nose starts with a sour and bitter mix of dark berries and sherry followed by milk chocolate candy bar with toasted hazelnuts then fruits of sour cherries, Granny Smith apple peel and orange juice that transition to moderate barrel spices of cloves, ginger, and dusty attic floors with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel that starts with a pleasant fruity and floral mix of dark berries, orchard fruit and light orange blossom that quickly turns moderately bitter with a high drying spice that slowly fades to dark chocolate orange, apple chips, toasted hazelnuts and a moderate ashy oak with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with dark chocolate orange, light floral notes, apple chips, powdered ginger, burnt cloves and moderate ashy oak. The nose on this is slightly offensive with those wine and sherry barrels causing a sour and bitter flavor mix before sweet earthy and nutty notes that fade to sour citrus and dusty wood. The taste started promising with a really enjoyable floral, red berry and orchard fruit mix but was quickly overpowered by a bitter high spice that almost never ended until thankfully some light fruits and nuts emerged along with ashy oak that finishes drying and ashy with chocolate, citrus and light floral notes. The mixture of aging in American white oak ex-bourbon casks, Matusalem oloroso sherry casks and Cabernet Sauvignon barriques seems to have created a sour, bitter and spicy mixture that I personally find overwhelming and drying. At the price of $200 around me, this is a hard pass for me and much better whisky can be found for far less.

Nose: Ginger, honey, orange marmalade, dried fruit, vanilla essence, a little clove. Palate: Sweet, mild arrival with honey, vanilla nougat, raspberry coulis and apricot Danish. Leathery malt emerges in the development along with tropical fruits, toffee and cacao. The texture is neutral, but the palate is moreish. Finish: Medium: There is a sustained bittersweet orange and milk chocolate note. This is nothing like I expected. It’s a light, elegant, sweet and easy to drink malt that shows very restrained sherry cask influence (which is not a bad thing). The profile is not particularly complex, but everything works extremely well in combination. The palate follows the nose closely and there are no surprises here, just a well-constructed, soft and highly approachable whisky. Don’t add water, it is superfluous. I don’t understand the name. Yes, I do enjoy the occasional cigar and yes I did partake while enjoying my second pour of this whisky (for … science). However it is no better matched to cigars than any other single malt, and for me anyway a good cognac beats any whisky hands-down when it comes to pairing with tobacco, but meh, that's just my taste and no criticism of this dram. The only issue I have with this whisky is the price, which is outrageous. “Very Good” “ 86/100 (4 stars)

N: Yep, I want to climb into this glass and swim in it. There’s thick sticky caramel, biscuits, coffee, burnt brown sugar, and some fresh citrus zest. A jammy sherry cask influence indeed. P: A completely palate coating stickiness yet it remains light, a cool juxtaposition of texture and weight. Caramel and slightly woody toffee. Citrus zest and more sherry cask influence. There’s a leatheryness in here too that is very enjoyable and adds savoury balance. F: Medium-long. A spicy and zesty after taste explosion. Gentle cinnamon, cloves and citrus peel linger in stickiness. This is excellently made, balanced and delicious. I would, if given it, drink a pint of this without thought. My only complaint is that this is perhaps simple. You do not need to work to enjoy this or find what it has to offer, is that a bad thing? No, absolutely not. But I expected, and want, more depth and subtlety, a liquid of this magnitude, opulence, and price should deliver that. Distiller whisky taste #83

Nose: Catalan cream, vanilla, light raisins, berries macerated in alcohol. Palate: always berries macerated in alcohol, with vanilla ice cream, banana bread, raisins, thick and oily. Medium-short finish with red fruits. I'm not a big fan of NAS, but this is definitely an excellent product, enjoyable and easy to drink. 4.50 rating ____________________________________________________________________ Naso: crema catalana, vaniglia, uvetta leggera, frutti di bosco macerati nell’alcol. Palato: sempre frutti di bosco macerati nell’alcol, con gelato alla vaniglia, banana bread, uvetta, denso ed oleoso. Finale medio breve ai frutti rossi. Non sono un grande fan dei NAS, ma questo è sicuramente un eccellente prodotto, piacevole e facile da bere. Voto 4,50

A rich, Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Highlands of Scotland; '70% of the casks used to age this Whisky more than twelve years are Matusalem Gonzalez Byass Sherry casks, then it’s finished in premier cru Cabernet Sauvignon wine barriques. It has a clean & moreish birth with notes of caramel, biscuits, coffee, Walker’s shortbread biscuits dipped in dark chocolate & toffee; while rich & elegant life adds notes of burnt cinder-toffee, flamed orange-zest, sultanas & sherry; that leads to a fluid death of medium length with notes of lemon, orange zest, clove & a hint of cinnamon. November 2018 / January / March 2019 / June 2020 / August 2022