Sometimes, as a journalist, you feel like a privileged person. For example, on one of those days when a roaring McLaren 720s stops, to transport you to a press meeting with whisky brand The Dalmore. And once there, the party really begins...
Text: Gerben Bijpost
The drive is on the A2 towards Amsterdam, where we will be welcomed at Restaurant Nela on Beethovenstraat. More than fine dining guaranteed, then, but that's not what we come here for. What do we come here for, then? The unveiling of the highly exclusive The Dalmore Cask Curation Series - The Sherry Edition. The Dalmore, a Scottish whisky distillery with over 180 years of heritage and pioneer of cask curation, or long maturation in multiple casks, is known for launching iconic single malts with great regularity. And this year is no exception. The whisky house is coming out with a new crown jewel, the Cask Curation Series. This four-year series (this is episode 1 of it, the next will feature maturation in port casks as its main feature), will appear annually as a highly exclusive limited edition release. Only 150 sets comprising three carefully selected aged whiskies will be available worldwide, showcasing The Dalmore's masterful craftsmanship.
Well made, well packaged
The first in the Cask Curation Series, as mentioned, is The Sherry Edition which highlights the distillery's long-standing collaboration with renowned Spanish sherry bodega González Byass Sherry. In fact, The Dalmore Cask Curation Series explores how different casks affect the maturation of the whisky. Something that has been happening at this distillery for more than five decades under the expert eye (/nose/mouth) of The Dalmore's master distiller Richard 'The Nose' Paterson OBE. Together with colleague and master whisky maker, Gregg Glass, he selected for The Cask Curation - The Sherry Edition three of The Dalmore's finest whiskies, matured in rare casks (a distiller will pay around 5 to 6,000 euros for just such an -empty- sherry cask) from the esteemed Sherry bodega Gonzalez Byass in Spain. A bodega with whom The Dalmore has maintained a centuries-long relationship.
The casks for this Limited edition were previously used to age wines using the Sherry solera system, an ageing system in which younger and older distillates are continuously blended as they age.
For the set, incidentally, a collaboration was also entered into with another grandmaster: the Italian luxury packaging manufacturer AB. Florence, known among others for packaging designs for Aqua di Parma, Prada and Louis Vuitton. The company crafted a sherry-red saffiano leather cover with chrome details for this Sherry Edition, a kind of luxury case with a display case through which you can beautifully display the whiskies.
43, 28 and 26 years old
The Sherry Edition contains three exclusive single malts. The showpiece is definitely a very special single malt that ticks the age of no less than 43 years old. This whisky is finished in a 30-year-old Apostoles cask. The aroma contains notes of warm honey, roasted chestnuts, sun-drenched sultanas and Seville orange. On the tongue, you taste sweet Madagascar vanilla, dark forest fruits, ground almonds and dark chocolate.
The Sherry Edition also consists of a 28 Year Old single malt (we liked this one the most!) and a 26 Year Old single malt. Both matured in American white oak ex-Bourbon casks. The 28 Year Old is finished in a 30-year-old Matusalem Sherry cask, giving it aromas of rich dark fruit, Manuka honey, liquorice, sweet tobacco and star fruit. You will taste sherry-soaked sultanas, Old English marmalade, marzipan and liquorice among other things in this whisky.
The 26-year-old The Dalmore single malt is finished in Cask No. 4 - a 2002 Vintage Gonzalez Byass sherry cask, a true rarity in the Sherry world. This 26-year-old single malt contains aromas of orange blossom, honey, apricot, vanilla and cocoa. On the tongue, you taste sultanas, tangerine and citrus, glazed cherry pie and caramelised almonds. The trio of whiskies in this set are all non-chill filtered and bottled at cask strength.
Drink or investment
Why this comprehensive aroma and flavour description? Because unfortunately you will (probably) never be able to taste them yourself. As mentioned, the set is rather exclusive. Only one is available in the Netherlands, and it was already sold when the launch was yet to take place. Across Europe, there are six or so. Nevertheless, should you still manage to track down a set somewhere, know that the bottles in it lós not for sale. It is all or nothing. And all or nothing in this case costs ... €38,000! Is that expensive? Duh. But for those who can control themselves and don't empty the bottles, you can rest assured that the set will probably fetch a whole lot more in a few years' time. www.thedalmore.com