Dalmore The Trio

Review #37 - Whisk(e)y #23 A 1L travel exclusive bottle bought on discount for only 50 euros, which seems like a very good deal for Dalmore, especially given that usually it is found in the 85-140 euro range. The whisky is matured in ex-bourbon, tawny port and matusalem sherry casks, providing a mix that is typical for higher end Dalmore releases. The colour is deep amber-orange and rather dark, probably both from old sherry casks and E150 colouring (not just E150 as it is usually noted), but with long legs and oiliness in the glass. Nose - very potent, fragrant and complex nose, especially for 40% ABV, very smooth, sweet, fruity (both sweet and dried fruit), malt, nutty, woody, orangey and honey, with some vanilla as well. Palate - balanced and nutty-malty spiciness on the front end which leads into a very sweet and fruity-orangey mid-palate. It is very approachable and smooth, with barely any alcohol. Upon further tasting it develops a nice, warming spiciness (not sharp) which is pleasant. Finish - medium, oily, tangerines, apricots, sweet and some metallic taste on the back palatte. After it gets a bit of air it develops a slight orange peel-dark chocolate bitterness with a slight aroma of milk chocolate a bit earlier on. It is very pleasant and approachable, and at 33 euros per 700ml (50 euros per 1L), it is more than a fair price for this brand and whisky, feeling like an absolute steal (despite the hate it gets). To be honest, it is very similar to Chivas Regal 18 in terms of flavour profile on the mid-palate, especially when it comes to the strong nutty maltiness. Rating System: 5.0 - Perfect 4.5 - Exceptional 4.0 - Very Good 3.5 - Good 3.0 - Decent 2.5 - Average 2.0 - Below Average 1.5 - Barely Drinkable 1.0 - Undrinkable 0.5 - JB

What happened here? The Dalmore The Trio is one of three retail expressions, the other two are called The Quartet and The Quintet, and as you can guess, it points how many different cask finishes this single malts have had. The Quintet was out of this world fantastic, and the Quartet was amazing as well, but this Trio one... was not very good. I tasted on a friend's house and i couldn't believe how bad it was (i actually said to myself: "maybe i am not properly focused to rate this whisky"), so, i came back home and i opened my own bottle and... it was even worse than i thought. Bottled at 40%abv, this one has been matured in ex bourbon, tawny port casks and Matusalem Sherry. Deep copper color. On the nose, Coffee and sawdust when uncorking. A little humidity and old library aroma notes. Mostly old very dehydrated fruits, Dehydrated oranges. Red fruits, strawberries. Very winey. Caramel, Granadine and some Citric notes. Figs. After a first sip, it released ginger and a very thick vanilla fondant. Dusty. Powdery. Acid prunes that has gone bad. It felt nice, but dim, not amazing. On the palate, it is very thin. A little watery. It is like a red fruit water. Sawdust. A second sip felt like a vanilla water. Acid Prunes. Boring. Aftertaste gave me sawdust, woody. Ginger; short finish. Everything is so overly oaked that all other notes are muted. Dissapointing. Overall, this is a very thin, weak, simple, overly woody Dalmore. None of the amazing notes from almost every other expression are present here. Totally dissapointing, i am happy that i had the two more expensive expressions first, because if i had tasted this one before, i might not have bought the Quartet and the Quintet. Not good, my score for it is 70 over 100.

Nose: Orange oil, orange juice, soft wood aromas (sandalwood, camphorwood), honey, almonds, fruit cake. It’s charming and a typical Dalmore nose. Palate: Sweet arrival like dilute honey with citrus essence. There is not much progression in the development – some malty cereal and a touch of coffee. The texture is pleasant but there is a lack of weight to this spirit. The palate does not live up to the promise of the nose. Finish: Medium/Short. Mild fruity flavours (orange, apricot) that trail into diluted mocha coffee, Demerara sugar and a leafy, slightly metallic bitterness in the aftertaste. This is a pleasant whisky on the whole but the palate is seriously lacking in presence. Alcohol content is not a critical aspect of whisky for me. I don’t criticise drams that are issued at 40% without good reason, but this expression is in an awkward place. Its base-grade alcohol content makes it very approachable and it would be a good one to share with someone who is just starting out on their whisky journey. However that same low abv makes it insipid and lacking in heft. This is one whisky that really should have been issued at 46% or more so that it could speak clearly. Although I did enjoy the dram I can’t justify describing it as anything other than average. There are way better Dalmores to be savoured. Try the Cigar Malt or the always enjoyable 18 year old and you'll see what I mean. Tasted from a 30ml sample. “Average” : 78/100 (2.75 stars)

Enticing nose of red berries, wood varnish, tobacco, nutty, wood and spicy. Quite peppery and prickly with a tiny bit of harshness. On the palate, lovely dark fruit jam, toffee, spicy and coffee flavors.

Nose: Vanilla, caramel, oak, orange, plums Palate: Orange, plums, cinnamon Finish: Oak, vanilla, caramel, spices Decent whiskey. Little thin being 40%, but good.

Nice sweet orange smell, nice sweet buttery finish at the mouth. Very enjoyable!