Dalmore 12 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
The Dalmore · Dalmore Distillery
The Dalmore 12 is a textbook example of how thoughtful cask management shapes a whisky. The split maturation between ex-bourbon and oloroso sherry casks creates a layered complexity that rewards attention without demanding expertise.
Nose
Candied orange peel and dark chocolate dominate the opening, followed by notes of cinnamon and dried apricot. A layer of sherry-cask sweetness ties it together with a gentle malty backbone.
Palate
Full and creamy. Caramel-coated almonds give way to stewed stone fruits and clove spice. The sherry influence is assertive but controlled, delivering cocoa and dried fig without overshadowing the distillery's malty core.
Finish
Long and warming, with lingering orange zest, dark cocoa, and soft woody tannins that fade slowly.
- Region
- Highlands
- Cask Type
- Ex-bourbon barrels and Matusalem oloroso sherry butts
- Peat Level (PPM)
- Unpeated
- Distillation
- Copper pot stills with tall, narrow necks
- Maturation
- 9 years in ex-bourbon American white oak, then 3 years in 30-year-old Matusalem oloroso sherry butts
- Chill-Filtered
- Yes
Cocktail Suggestion
Highland Ember — 2 oz Dalmore 12 · 0.75 oz Pedro Ximénez sherry · 0.25 oz orange curaçao · 2 dashes orange bitters · Stir over ice, strain into a rocks glass with a large cube, express an orange peel over the surface.
Food Pairing
The whisky's cocoa and orange notes mirror the torte, while the sherry richness complements the bittersweet chocolate and the candied citrus peel garnish.
Produced at the Dalmore Distillery on the shores of the Cromarty Firth in the Scottish Highlands, this 12-year-old is matured first in ex-bourbon American white oak barrels, then finished in aged oloroso sherry butts hand-selected by the Master Distiller.
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