Tasting notes·Dalwhinnie

Dalwhinnie 15 Years

If you travel to Scotland, the Dalwhinnie distillery is often one of the first to be visited because of its location. As part of the Classic Malts Selection, it becomes even more interesting when viewed in the context of the full lineup. For us, Dalwhinnie 15 Years was the first single malt we ever drank. 16 years later, we now open a bottle again.

The panel

Marcel
62
Sascha
66

Mean 64.0 · spread 4

Value for money 3/5

Distillery
Dalwhinnie
Type
Single Malt
Region
Highlands
Country
Scotland
Age
15 years
Strength
43% ABV
Character
mellow

Tasting

Nose

Very floral with lots of vanilla and blossom honey, the Highlander opens soft and fresh. Very citrusy and tartly acidic, the sweetness is embraced. We are not quite sure whether a slight smoky note is resonating or not.

Palate

Like the nose, the scotch is fruity and mild. Low-fat curd (sour, dry) pairs with honey and oatmeal. Here and there we still perceive a little wood. Smoke is also present - or is it?

Finish

The Dalwhinnie 15 year finishes with a short, slightly bitter aftertaste.

Verdicts

Marcel

The Dalwhinnie 15 feels more like an old acquaintance who has lost some of their charm – soft and mild, but unfortunately quite dull as well. It impressed as a first single malt back in the day, but today it simply lacks the excitement and that certain something that makes you want more.

Sascha

The Dalwhinnie 15 presents itself with solid structure, yet without great balance or depth of flavor. The floral notes and fruity acidity are pleasant enough, but they can’t mask the overall simple and slightly bitter finish – for a 15-years Highlander, it remains rather unremarkable.

What it is worth

We do not yet hold bottle-level auction results — that sits behind Whisky Hunter’s authenticated feed. What follows is the market for Dalwhinnie as a whole, which sets the weather for this bottling without pricing it.

£1£10£100£1k2005200820112014201720202023

Latest mean bid £87 across 88 lots · 2024-08

Source

Tasting note and scores by WHISKY:EDITION — tasted by Marcel and Sascha, published 2023-03-30.