Dalmore 15 Year

Ah, Dalmore. A brand that divides opinions, praised for quality yet criticized for its cost. It's consistently a varied experience with this one. I found the 12-year acceptable; let's explore what the next tier in the main lineup offers. Aroma: A strong presence of orchard fruits is immediately apparent, with apple, pear, and apricot potentially being more pronounced. Plum, raisin, date, fig, and pound cake emerge after several minutes. Toffee, vanilla, honey, white chocolate, and butterscotch add further sweetness. Notes of walnut, pecan, and heavy almond are present, along with hints of shoe leather and molasses. A touch of orange citrus, some honeydew, and a sprinkle of white pepper. Sun-dried tomato notes are also detected, along with prominent oak. An exceptionally pleasing aroma. Palate: Cranberry, raisin, plum, date, fig, and pound cake now lead, while apple, pear, and apricot are in the background. The pecan, walnut, and almond flavors carry over from the nose. Cola is present, as are vanilla frosting, milk chocolate, caramel, toffee, and butterscotch. Blackberry and honeydew notes are noticeable, along with orange citrus. Black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak are also detected. Finish: Flavors of cranberry, raisin, plum, date, fig, apple, pear, and apricot. Dark chocolate, toffee, vanilla, and pound cake. Orange citrus. Sun-dried tomato. Cola and ginger snap. Black and white pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. The finish is of medium length. This is a quality whisky. It's delightful and provides a certain intensity that the 12-year was missing. The aroma, palate, and finish offer a superb blend of flavors. My only reservation about this expression is the price. $130 for a whisky with 40% ABV. While it performs well for its category, a 40% ABV is frankly insulting to experienced whisky drinkers. Feel free to debate this point. $130 is a high price for a 15-year old. It is quite good and drinks like a top-tier whisky in a vacuum of cost, but considering price and ABV in my evaluation, I cannot score it higher than 3.5. Nevertheless, this is a solid whisky. If you are a Dalmore enthusiast or appreciate sherried Scotch and cost is not a concern, you will find this enjoyable. Scored 3.5 out of 5.

The Distillation: Dalmore whiskies are crafted in four pairs of copper stills. The Spirit Stills feature unique water cooling between the neck and a reflux ball, intended to boost reflux, resulting in a smoother, lighter whisky. The Sherry Casks: The Dalmore 15 Year Old first matures in American Bourbon casks, followed by an exceptionally long three-year finish in Amoroso, Apostoles, and Matusalem Oloroso sherry casks. Taste Profile: The Dalmore 15 Year Old presents a wonderfully smooth mouthfeel, revealing delicate notes of pears, raisins, and dark chocolate, complemented by toasty and nutty undertones. The finish is finely spiced with oak and a round sherry character, offering a very satisfying conclusion.

It's easy to drink, even though it lacks depth. The alcohol content is low. I suspect it's best enjoyed outdoors with companions. Smells like flat soda, subtle wood, lemon-tinged wine, and sweet tea. A hint of smoke. Feels wet and lingers on the tongue with a subdued flavor. Wood with a bit of smoke, similar to a damp cigarette. Faint lemon notes, but more like a cleaning product than fresh lemon. Not much going on. A straightforward and mellow scotch. The age seems to make it quite balanced and easy to sip. However, I doubt it's worth the price (I got this as a gift and wouldn't buy it myself).

Dalmore 15 Calibration: Macallan 15 Orangey 🍊🍊🤓 Nose: pervasive orange!! Quite sharp Taste: sharp and peppery at first, then becomes sweet and orangey/fruity Finish: hmm, like chocolate but I can't quite place it Dalmore 15 is my return to the past. I had the pleasure of tasting it about 10 years ago, however, I seem to remember its taste a little differently. Nevertheless, according to me, very good after a hard day, for example with a cigar or cigarette.

Jul 2025. Clear, rich amber gold color. Nose - Aromatic dried fruit, sweet spice, roasted plum, raisin, orchard fruits, tropical fruit, a hint of bacon, meaty and barbecue notes. Taste - Warm and rich with tropical fruit, toasted malt, raw cereal, woody notes, baked apple, bacon, barbecue, a touch of smokiness, sweetened prune, sweetened plum, dried spice, and licorice, leading to a rich and smooth finish. Finish - Excellent balance with a long fruity, malty, woody, and smoky conclusion. 40% ABV, medium to full body.

I sampled this at the ritz carlton hotel bar in Philly. It's nice, comparable to glenallachie 10 yr cask strength batch 5, but lacks the richness in texture and perhaps complexity in flavor. Both drinks are like fruit salads made with dark fruits. Not too much orange. Dates, plums, berries. Better than macallan 18 in flavor, but this one does lack in texture, having a very thin mouthfeel and not a long finish.