Dalmore Vintage 1998 18 Year

Vintage bottlings from Dalmore from the late 1990s to early 2000s are rumored to be less impressive than one might expect from a favored distillery. Nonetheless, I needed to verify this myself, so upon encountering this Port Vintage 1998 Dalmore, I promptly requested a dram. Let's see how it turned out. Bottled at 44% ABV. The nose was not typical Dalmore, with prominent port wood characteristics: tobacco, orange confectionery, a soap note (uh oh), coffee, aged orange peel, and brown sugar, but that soap scent lingered in the background. It presented as chocolate-covered oranges. After the initial taste, the aroma shifted to a pleasant coffee note with undertones of burnt oak. It felt somewhat unbalanced, perhaps a bit too unconventional. On the palate, it was quite enjoyable and easy to drink, though perhaps a little unexciting. It's easy to hold onto; flavors of almonds, chestnuts, and caramel dominate. That's all. The finish was unquestionably the highlight, offering a lovely conclusion of chocolate powder, cinnamon spice, and a very pleasing tobacco note. Overall, tobacco seemed to be a consistent, positive element throughout this dram. It wasn't the finest Dalmore, and it just barely earned a four-star rating. I'm not particularly fond of port whiskies, so my judgment might be biased; for me, it scores an 80/100.

I considered it good; I would never refuse a glass. I likely won't ever buy a bottle.

Maple syrup, fruit-forward with a classic Sherry cask aroma and taste.

Nice caramel flavor. Sweet.

The cost is not justified by the quality.

A taste reminiscent of brown sugar.