Review: The Dalmore 14 Years Old
You’ll have to forgive us for completely overlooking the new-ish The Dalmore 14 Years Old. We’ve diligently kept up with the Highland distillery’s more exotic and pricey releases in recent years, but somehow, we’ve missed some of the more affordable offerings. For all the rarified ambrosia in their portfolio, Dalmore offers quite a few sub-$100 expressions, like this bottle.
Introduced in 2022 exclusively to the U.S. market, The Dalmore 14 Years Old is something of an odd duck in the distillery’s Principal Collection (the core portfolio). There are seven age-stated expressions in that collection, including a pair of 12-year-old single malts with differing maturations. All of them boast familiar single malt age intervals (12, 15, 18, etc.) except for this one. The unusual age-statement isn’t the only thing setting this one apart. It’s also the only Dalmore to feature single malt aged entirely in Pedro Ximenez from the well-regarded sherry house Gonzalez Byass. In fact, the only other place PX features in the core lineup is a bit of finishing in the Sherry Cask Select. Let’s check it out.
On the nose, this whisky is quite unlike other wine- and oloroso-aged Dalmore expressions I’ve encountered. The PX influence is restrained, suggesting that ex-bourbon cask-aged single malt comprises the bulk of this recipe. Generous top notes of honeycomb, slivered almonds, baking spice, and roasted malt create more of an earthy initial impression. It takes time for the fruits to develop, slowly blooming from the glass with notes of black raisin and currants that never really take on that sugary, syrupy quality often found with PX-aged or finished whiskies. The palate is rich and shows far more sherry influence right out of the gate with early notes of dried apricot, cooked dark berries, and a bit of rum raisin. The fruit notes grow more oxidized on the midpalate, complemented by baking cocoa and orange peel. The elevated proof gives a noticeable energy to the experience compared to some of the 40% abv Dalmore offerings I’ve tasted, yet the palate remains light and silky and quite approachable. The finish dissolves a bit quickly into wine-kissed notes of grape skins, dark chocolate, and gentle baking spice. It’s an impressive single malt, clearly a step up from the entry-level 12-year-old offerings and honestly not far removed in quality from the increasingly expensive 18-year-old. A real value for the stateside Dalmore fan.
97.6 proof.
A- / $90
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