Luceo Non Uro. Three words of significance to many, but none more so than the Clan MacKenzie and their beloved single malt whisky The Dalmore. It is these three words that define The Dalmore heritage, magnificence and ‘speak’:
I Shine, Not Burn
A poignant philosophy for a multitude of reasons, a philosophy that can be seen imbued in the Dalmore’s heritage as well as in their art of whisky creation. A saying that can be attributed as much to the distinctive taste of the world’s fastest growing single malt1, as it can the soft flavoursome Dalmore aftertaste – which incidentally, is definitely not a burn.
It was 1263, when an ancestor of Clan Mackenzie saved King Alexander III of Scotland, who was in danger of being gored by a stag whilst out hunting. Legend has it that the grateful King granted the Mackenzies the right to bear a stag’s head, with twelve points to its antlers, signifying a ‘Royal’, in their coat of arms. Long owned by The Mackenzie family, every bottle from The Dalmore distillery is adorned with this proud emblem, an embodiment of the distillery’s royal pedigree.
THE DALMORE DISTILLERY – INVERNESS
Associated with Regality throughout the 150 years of it’s existence, rumor even has it that on a recent visit to the UK, the Dalmore’s Stag head emblazoned bottle caught President Barack Obama’s eye at the airport, earning the Dalmore a trip to the White House and a place among the President’s favoured tipples.
Whichever carnation of The Dalmore you chance upon, there is a common revelation; this is a whisky to be cherished not guzzled, perused over not drank blasé, and with it’s stunning Stag Head ornamented bottle, gazed at not discarded.
As one of the most recognised, popular and highly revered people in the whisky industry, Richard Paterson’s involvement is critical to the success of The Dalmore. A third generation Master Distiller, Richard has spent many years honing his craft, a craft that has seen him receive many awards for both the whiskies he produces and his own distilling talent.
The surreal location of Ardtalla played host to the ‘tasting after tasting’, where JOSHUA’s experienced the single malt finery limited to only 1000 bottles – The Dalmore Ceti 302. For a similar, less scarce, carnation of this Dalmore vintage expect to spend in the region of £250 – per shot – a price more than justified by our relative qualitative comparison to other whisky’s considered to be peers.
THE POURING OF THE DALMORE CETI
The Dalmore might not be your favourite whisky, after all whisky is a personal relationship with one’s drink, and so not everyone will exhibit the same palette. That said, we would expect a Dalmore single malt – without doubt – to appear in any whisky enthusiasts Top 5; even the most ardent critic would not be able to ignore that signature quality inherent in every Dalmore. However you choose to attribute it, there is certainly something to the Dalmore, an almost mystical quality reified by the history, the process, the presentation and most importantly reflected in the taste, something that makes it… shine.
PHOTOS: JOSHUA’s
