Review #572 - Dalmore 12 Year
Dalmore is practically synonymous with sherry cask maturation - it's a focus on most of their core range and special release products. This 12 Year single malt, probably their most well-known and widely distributed product, uses some of those sherry casks (Oloroso, specifically), though it's only a finishing period; the majority of the maturation takes place in American oak ex-bourbon casks.
This brand is also known for their sub-par bottling standards: the minimum 40% ABV strength is used, the whisky is chill filtered, and Dalmore is known to add a heavy dose of caramel coloring to their spirit. How will this 12 Year Old whisky hold up against those qualities?
Dalmore 12 Year
Scotland/Highland - Single Malt
Price: USD 69 (2025)
Age Statement: 12 Years
Strength: 40% ABV
Cask Makeup: American oak ex-bourbon, finished in Oloroso sherry casks
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 2 times over 8 months; bottles at 30% and 10% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Some musty malt, followed by soft sherry notes - strawberry, cranberry, orange, quite fruity. Some prune and nectarine develop with time; it's a mixture of sweet and tart scents, and we get a light floral grain note deeper in the glass.
Palate: A thin mouthfeel with lots of fruits again - grape, strawberry and cherry, raisins, along with some more tart notes from nectarine and grapefruit at times. It can be a little bit syrupy sweet, but it is quite mild, too.
Finish: Lots of orange and strawberry, especially sweet candied strawberries. Quite soft and nicely rounded, but the flavors aren't too strong, and it's a medium-short finish.
Final Note: This single malt is alright - inoffensive, with lots of sweet fruit notes, but it really struggles to deliver those flavors with any sort of intensity. Definitely a crowd pleaser with those qualities, but we wouldn't spend too much time with a glass - not much complexity to dig into. Those who enjoy red fruit flavors will likely enjoy this one, though.
In terms of value, this is okay. Dalmore is known for their exorbitant pricing on many of their bottles, but this 12 year version is still relatively reasonable, available for less than $70 here in the US. It wouldn't be our first choice for purchase, but it's far from the worst value in the segment.
Our Average Rating: 5.5 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.36
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other Dalmore reviews:
