Dalmore King Alexander III

The final of the four Dalmores from the sample pack I picked up before the payoff in a couple weeks of a review of what has surprisingly been one of my favorite whiskies, an SMWS Dalmore. This sample unfortunately spilled a tiny bit in transit but fortunately only a little bit was lost. Anyway, this was one that I was really hopeful to try because, as with many Dalmores here, the price is way above anything I’d be willing to pay to get a bottle. So here we go.

Dalmore King Alexander III, Highland Single Malt, 40% ABV

Minutia: Matured for an undisclosed amount of time in ex-bourbon American oak, and split between ex-bourbon casks, Matusalem Oloroso Sherry casks, Madeira barrels, Marsala casks, Port pipes, Cabernet Sauvignon barriques, and married in an “in situ” Sherry butt. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Burnt umber; 1.7.

Nose: Subtle, musty at the start. Very much like red wine; at time of notes I didn’t know the specifics of the casks but figured one must have been wine and was almost certainly a cab (based both on my hunch and recent familiarity with Dalmore knowing at least one other release uses them), so very much in that realm. Caramel and vanilla, stress on the caramel. Dried fruit. Reminds of a very decadent dessert.

Taste: Honey nut, sweet smooshed fruits, a bit bitter.

Finish: Warm and soft, then oaky fruit. Sugar syrup. On the shorter side.

It’s actually quite nice. I expected a sub-par NAS that tricks you into liking it based on the extravagant price. For something like this, and I usually don’t like to be critical of bottling proof as that proof is what the product is, I really wish it had a bit more there. I imagine the great nose would really take it up a notch, and a palate that’s not quite as robust as I like probably would have gotten (at least a bit closer to it). 46%, even 43% would likely take it up a notch or two. Don’t let that criticism distract you from the fact that it’s a quality dram, but it just costs too much for what it is.

Score: 81

Musical Evocation: Iron Maiden – “Alexander the Great”