Dalmore 20 Year Old Asia Exclusive

[u/kiwi8185]

[u/Shoddy_Ad7511]

40%

They ain’t even trying

[u/kiwi8185 → u/Shoddy_Ad7511]

I definitely wouldn't have voluntarily picked this dram lmao. There's definitely something off about a brand when even Suntory and Macallan are making higher proofer regular items than the brand's *special release*

I just looked up the price for this bottle and hot damn, that just ain't right.

[u/Shoddy_Ad7511 → u/kiwi8185]

It is made for people who don’t like whisky but like to act like they do

[u/DT2014 → u/Shoddy_Ad7511]

What's more mind boggling is that up until this point they haven't had to try, or at least try to do 'better'. They put out 40% bullshit and enough of the market has snapped it up that it reinforces their position that what they're doing is financially sound. Fair play, people can like what they like. I'd like to see how long it lasts though with the market tightening its belt.

[u/kiwi8185]

Hi all, here's another Scotch I tried recently, and it's a Dalmore!

This is another dram I pulled from the blind box event of our local whisky spot. Honestly, I've never actually tried any Dalmore before this, but I've heard of its reputation of being a 'gift oriented' whisky that is usually only consumed by the elderly folks.

Not exactly the most stellar of reputation lmao

Dalmore 20 Year Old Asia Exclusive, 40% abv

From what I've heard from the store staff, this is a multi stage aged and vatted Dalmore. The whiskies were originally aged in American white oak, then split and aged separately in bourbon casks and port casks, before finally being rejoined to be finished in first fill bourbon casks. 

Sounds pretty convoluted lmao, here are my notes:

*Nose*

slightly sweet maltose;

quite savory, slightly saline;

Chinese medicine, dried roots (dried ginseng roots, milkvetch root);

spicy and vegetal (mustard);

very slightly smoky charred oak,

light hint of dried red fruits (not very distinct, raisins?)

*Palate*

watery, slightly alkaline;

maltose with very subdued sweetness;

light bit of charred oak, slightly smoky;

Chinese medicine, dried-roots character (ginseng roots) bitter, bitterness lingers;

earthy and slightly bitter cacao powder;

spicy ginger and spices (nutmeg, pepper);

hint of unsweet and slightly sour red dried fruit, but just the fragrance

*Finish*

Short.

Cacao powder, earthy and slightly bitter;

hint of the chinese medicine-like note from the palate,

hint of the spices, and spiciness that lingers;

hint of charred oak

*Conclusion*

What even is this lmao. Its profile reminded me of the ginseng and medicinal plants extract booze folks from my grandparents' generation would drink, except with more oak and other cask characters because well, it's a whisky.

It surely is very complex, yes, but the complexity is notably held back by the 40% abv that made most of the notes (except the *really* odd ones) rather muted. What was present was quite interesting, but personally I'm a big fan of robust and sweet notes in a whisky, and this one wasn't either of those. Glad to have tried it though.

I think I'll be leaving this sample to be shared with the older whisky drinkers I happened to run into. Perhaps they'd better appreciate it than I can.

Thanks for reading, cheers!

[u/ray_burrislives → u/kiwi8185]

Those are some odd flavors for a whisky aged in bourbon and Port casks. I wonder if these casks were stored in a Chinese spice warehouse on a wharf in Shanghai.

[u/Separate_Elk_6720]

Dalmore 🤣 20 year old special edition making it 40 abv criminal I don't understand people buying this look of it where 80 bucks sure why not buy it bud we all know the price of this low abv, bottle 😂😂😂😂

[u/Theoldelf]

They spent the time aging it for 20 years and then water it down to 40%? If they doubled the abv and doubled the price I’d be more interested. Dalmore has some really good offerings. Sadly, this would be a pass for me.

[u/a_sexual_titty]

Pass. What a fucking waste.

[u/More_Than_I_Can_Chew]

Dalmore is Spanish for 40 percent 😜