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Dalmore 12 Year Old

Nice, but nice enough?

0 379

@AKGcandlefishReview by @AKGcandlefish

19th Dec 2012

0

  • Nose
    23
  • Taste
    17
  • Finish
    19
  • Balance
    20
  • Overall
    79

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

Color: dark honey.

Nose: a bouquet of spiced sweets. I'm initially reminded of mulled wine and hot apple cider, with hints of brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Very fruity, with orange peels, raisins, and chocolate covered cherries in the mix. Just a very pleasing nose. I could breath this one forever.

Body: medium.

Palate: not at all what I expected from the nose. Not very sweet. Oaky with a hint of salt water taffy. Nice, but not terribly complex.

Finish: very warm and relatively long for what many would consider an entry level scotch. I taste dark chocolate and almonds.

I've read some of the reviews here and on other sites around the web, and it seems like everyone gets something different from the Dalmore 12-year. I just love the way this one smells, but the taste was kind of unremarkable to me. If this were a $30 bottle, I couldn't recommend it highly enough, but at $50 a bottle, I'd expect a little more complexity. Definitely one to try some time, if for no other reason than to add the gorgeous bottle to your collection, but I don't know if I'd reach for this one again, given the price point.

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3 comments

@Victor
Victor commented

Based on varied impressions of others and what I have sampled of it, I have to think that Dalmore 12 has a lot of batch variation. Why else would some be so enthusiastic about it and others find it soooo bland? The several samples I have had from a single bottle of it taste just as you have said "...the taste was kind of unremarkable to me." Nothin' much there. Even for $ 30 I wouldn't want a bottle that tasted like the one I've shared with @JeffC. I'd rather pick up a decent blended Scotch I don't have yet, like the current batch of Famous Grouse Gold Reserve.

All of that said, another batch of Dalmore 12 from several years ago, or a year or two into the future might be a lot more interesting. These whiskies do often change and vary a lot over time.

11 years ago 0

@AKGcandlefish
AKGcandlefish commented

I enjoyed the taste, just not sure I $50 enjoyed the taste. I did, however, share the Dalmore 12 with several friends last week, most of whom were more Bourbon than Scotch drinkers, and they all loved it.

11 years ago 0

@jonroland10
jonroland10 commented

I found this bottle to be irritating in numerous ways. For instance the nose is quite lovely and I agree with the reviewer in that "I could breath this one forever". After the opening taste which matches the nose. It becomes very disappointing the initial taste withers and disappears leaving heat typical of cask strength scotch, but at 40% abv this is simply unacceptable. It also bothers me that it is quite apparent that caramel coloring was added. I feel the taste is disjointed as the finish is a distant almost unrelated cousin of the nose and opening. I believe this is a failed attempt at making a high end entry level scotch. The disjointed nature of this whiskey is possibly due to not spending enough time in the sherry cask. It almost tastes as though the sherry cask flavor is added at the end along with the caramel coloring. The bottom line, if your pallet is able to differentiate between the opening and the finish whilst keeping in mind the nose you are going to be unimpressed. That being said its easy to drink and is a great way to educate those who are new to scotch.

11 years ago 0

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