The Dalmore – Port Wood Reserve / H. Upmann Nicaragua by AJ Fernandez

46.5% ABV

Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Port Cask Finish

The Nose and Beyond 

Since 1970, one man has led the distillation and blending of The Dalmore. The expertise of Richard Paterson aka “The Nose,” has guided the distillery through difficult times and ushered in an era of unprecedented success in the marketplace. His knowledge of distillation and blending pushed The Dalmore into the top tier of collectible whiskies. The last bottle of his most famous creation, a 12-bottle limited edition called The Dalmore Drew Sinclair, sold for $250,000 in 2011. And in 2017, a 12-bottle set called The Paterson Collection priced at over $1 million was sold at Harrods, the iconic London department store. 

Paterson’s whisky tastings are the stuff of legend, occasions on which he will pour whisky into his glass, swirl it around and fling the liquid across the room, claiming that it helps to get rid of any soap residue on the glass. It’s also a great way to get you through a bottle quicker, requiring you to buy another, but that’s admittedly a cynical way to look at it. 

A bona fide cigar snob, Paterson is also responsible for the development of The Dalmore Cigar Malt, which was introduced in 1999, then renamed in 2007 to The Dalmore Gran Reserva. The rebrand didn’t stick and in 2014 the word “cigar” was put back on the label. It is now called The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve and along with the name change, the blend was modified, and some feel it has improved. 

In recent years, Paterson has been working alongside Gregg Glass, who is Master Whisky Maker for the distillery and will eventually take over when Paterson hangs up the nose… or boots. 

Port Wood Reserve 

In the world of cask finished whisky, “sherry cask finished” is so ubiquitous that it often goes undetected on the whisky label, at least by casual drinkers. Before it became cool to “finish” your whisky, distillers were frequently employing the practice and mentioning it only in the description as “matured in sherry casks.” Port sits on the opposite end of popularity as a finishing cask. While the exact reason for this is hard to pin down, we  know that the relationship between the sherry producers and whisky distillers is a longstanding one that has grown in recent years. 

We also know that the characteristics that sherry casks impart on an aged whisky are subtle and delicate complements to the original spirit. Port casks, or port pipes as they are referred to in the trade, pose challenges to the whisky’s master blenders due to their different size and impact on the spirit. The idea is to mature a whisky that is already of exceptional quality in a vessel that can add layers of complexity without masking the beauty of the original spirit. In order to do that, The Dalmore has sourced port pipes from Graham’s Port for decades and for this specific expression have chosen to use pipes that previously held Graham’s 10 Year Tawny Port. 

Pairing by: Erik Calviño

Tasting Notes: The Dalmore – Port Wood Reserve

A wonderfully complex and intense nose with plums, citrus, red berries, and a touch of toffee. On the palate it is a full-flavored and rich spirit with a juicy combination of blood orange, plum, and oak followed by heavier flavors of caramel, vanilla, and coffee on the finish.

Cigar Pairing: H. Upmann Nicaragua by AJ Fernandez

This article appeared in the May/June 2024 issue. Subscribe today to get the magazine in your mailbox.

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