Whisky : Dailuaine 13 Year SMWS 41.127 “Mind that big ginger fae’ moffat!”

Country/Region : Scotland/Speyside

ABV : 58.9%

Cask : Oloroso Butt (12Y), Heavily Charred New Oak Puncheon (1Y)

Age : 13 Year (Distilled 14 July 2006)

Nose : Fruits, herbs, and vanilla. Musty concentrated fruit-flavored syrups: strawberry, cherry, and dragon fruit with hints of herbal tobacco, elderflower liqueur, and caramel. Dried vanilla beans and ginger cakes slowly opened toward berries and herbs with raspberries, thyme, oregano, and basil.

Palate : Full-bodied with loads of tannic structure and notes of berries, herbs, and mild earthy garden.  An initial blast of fruit, caramel, and tobacco gradually transitioned toward herbal impressions.  Raspberry and thyme came to mind, or blackberries with a hint of mint, along with basil, oregano, and bay leaves.  At the backend were slightly earthy notes of herb gardens and tobacco again.

Finish :  Slightly bitter tobacco and wood with lingering sweet dried berries.

Score : 7

Mental Image : Summer fruits in a smoking jacket

I have no idea what the title of this bottle means, but what a weird one. This Dailuaine spent a fair bit of time in an ex-oloroso butt before finishing its maturation in a new oak puncheon. The oloroso butt gave this loads of fruity notes, while the heavily charred new oak puncheon delivered a lovely tannic structure. This maturation was a reverse from usual as one often encounters bottles finished in sherry, not the other way around. It worked well this time, and while it was not particularly memorable the first time I tried it, I found the berries and herbs that came through absolutely enchanting on subsequent tastings.  

A bit of time to breath and open up, or a few drops of water, really accentuated some of those lovely contrasting berry-herbal notes. I am not huge on sherry bombs, but I can dig ones like this. It reminded me of an old Mortlach I tried at the beginning of the summer. While this did not have the same depth, it presented a similar overall experience that was more enjoyable.

Overall, a lovely bottle from a distillery that I have not often encountered but frequently confused with Dalwhinnie.