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A stylized image of a deer head adorns the label of Delmore whiskey, which evokes Single malt Glenfiddich or even the German liqueur Jagermeister, which has the same 12 shoots on deer antlers. But that’s where the similarity ends. Single malt Dalmore is one of the most expensive scotches, in 2012 a bottle of Dalmore 60-year-old was sold at auction for a record £100.
History of Dalmore in dates and facts
1839 A descendant of Scottish farmers, Alexander Matheson built a distillery in a remote, peat-rich corner of the Highlands near a small spring of soft water. Conditions for the production of whiskey were close to ideal, but the Matheson family was not going to conquer the expanses of Scotland with their drink. Single malt scotch was produced in small batches – for themselves, friends and friends of friends.
1886 The Matheson distillery is bought out by the three Mackenzie brothers.
1917 The distillery is closed, the premises are occupied by the British navy – under the laboratory for the development of deep-sea mines.
1920 Part of the building was destroyed by the explosion. The military leave the premises without compensating the owners for their losses. A series of lawsuits by Mackenzie Brothers against the British Navy and litigation continued until the end of the 30s, until the owners were fully compensated for the damage.
1947 Restored after wars and destruction, the distillery began producing whiskey.
1956 The owners decide to change the way they produce malt – they installed Saladin Box, a device invented by the Frenchman Charles Saladin for mechanical mixing of barley. Until that time, malt was obtained in the traditional floor (floor malting) method: after soaking, barley was scattered on a stone floor in a 30-cm layer, turned over 2-3 times a day, “stirred” manually with wooden shovels and then sent to the oven for drying.
1960 Successfully growing Mackenzie Brothers merges with Whyte & Mackay and changes its name to Dalmore-Whyte & Mackay Ltd.
1982 The company refuses to produce malt at the distillery. A decision was made to purchase malt from Bairds Malt, which has 3 malthouses in Scotland and two plants in England. The capacities of Bairds Malt make it possible to produce 250 tons of malt per year and provide all distilleries in Scotland with raw materials.
2007 Indian spirits company United Spirits buys Dalmore-Whyte & Mackay Ltd.
year 2012. Dalmore-Whyte & Mackay Ltd. and other resources United Spirits for 1,285 billion pounds is acquired by the largest British alcohol producer – Diageo.
5 interesting facts about Dalmore
1. The symbol of the brand – a silver deer head with branching horns, appeared on the label in 1890, when the Mackenzie brothers rebuilt the distillery and registered the Mackenzie Brothers company. This is the emblem of the Mackenzie clan, which, by right granted by the king, adorns the family weapons, insignia and bottles of Dalmore. According to legend, in 1263 the Scottish hunter Mackenzie saved his king – he shot a deer attacking a rider with one arrow, which earned him royal favor from Alexander III.
2. The most famous varieties of Dalmore – Cigar Malt, the 12 Year, the 21 Year, the 28 Year, were created by Master Blender with world fame Richard Peterson, a third generation blender.
Richard Paterson in 2010 recreated an 4 Mackinlay whiskey recipe in 1896 months from a chemical analysis of a drink found at the South Pole. The taste and aroma of scotch managed to reproduce perfectly accurately.
3. At the Dalmore distillery, until 2002, only sherry casks were used to age spirits. Now half of the spirits mature in bourbon barrels.
4. The brand only produces Single Highland Malt, single malt scotch.
5. One of the brand’s varieties – Dalmore 62, is one of the three most expensive whiskeys in the world after Isabella’s Islay and Aisla T’Orten 105-Year-Old. True, this is a miniature series – only 12 bottles. The drink was created by Richard Paterson, partly using spirits from 1868. Dalmore 62 is bottled in handcrafted crystal bottles, each packaged in an inlaid mahogany box. The first bottle was sold for just $32, and the last one was bought by a Chinese collector for $000.
Types of whiskey “Dalmore”
- Dalmore 12 Years Old (40%). The base drink of the Dalmore distillery is aged for 9 years in oak bourbon casks, and aged for another 3 years in Oloroso sherry casks. This is a mahogany single malt scotch that takes on a golden hue when exposed to light. The aroma of whiskey is full and strong, with notes of vanilla, orange, dried fruits. The taste is balanced, slightly smoky, with hints of nuts and candied orange.
- Dalmore 15 Years Old (40%). Scotch with a powerful spicy aroma consisting of notes of cinnamon, ginger, citrus and peat smoke. The result of 15 years of maturation in oak sherry casks is a rich mahogany color. The taste is soft, with hints of dried fruit, coffee and orange peel.
- Dalmore 18 Years Old (43%). Single malt scotch aged 14 years in bourbon casks, and another 4 years in Oloroso sherry casks. This drink is a deep amber color, with a complex aroma of notes of almonds, chocolate and coffee. The taste is harmonious, soft, with hints of chocolate, raisins, caramel.
- Dalmore 25 Years Old (42%). The drink is aged for a quarter of a century in three types of containers – in new ones made of American white oak, then in bourbon and sherry casks. This tape is a bright amber color with a red tint. The aroma is soft, nutty-fruity. The taste is multifaceted, with hints of prunes, chocolate and almonds. In 2014, Dalmore 25 Years Old received gold at the International Wine & Spirit Competition, and in 2013 was awarded silver at two competitions – IWSC and International Spirits Challenge.
- Dalmore King Alexander III (40%). The symbolic whiskey of rich amber color was created by Richard Paterson in honor of the heroic deed of the Scottish hunter Mackenzie, who saved the king from deer antlers. To create the drink, 6 spirits were used with an aging period of 8 to 25 years in sherry, port, Madeira, Cabernet Sauvignon and bourbon casks. Such a complex harmonious combination gave the drink a multi-layered aroma and taste: Dalmore King Alexander III smells of chocolate, coffee, tangerines and smoked prunes, and hints of almonds, chocolate, citrus and vanilla are noticeable in the taste. Long aftertaste with a hint of cranberries and candied oranges.
- Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve (44%). Scotch was created in 2012, ostensibly for those who like to taste whiskey and smoke at the same time. But this does not prevent non-smokers from enjoying the drink. Cigar Malt Reserve is a blend of spirits aged 10 to 15 years in casks of Oloroso sherry, bourbon and Cabernet Sauvignon. Whiskey bright copper color, with a delicate berry aroma and taste, the main shades of which are pineapple, vanilla, smoked prunes and orange. The finish is long, with notes of bergamot and candied orange.
Like all single malt scotches, Dalmore is best drunk neat or with 2-3 ice cubes.