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Dalmore 15 Year Old Luminary No1 Limited Edition (2015) 70cl
What is a luminary?
A person who inspires others, especially one prominent in a particular sphere – and when it comes to the world of whisky, there’s no doubt that the craftsmen behind The Dalmore fit the bill. The master distiller's endless pursuit for the perfect single malt is what makes its releases among the most coveted for whisky collectors.
Joining forces with visionary artisans – also luminaries – curated by V&A Dundee, Scotland's eminent design museum, the Highlands distillery has launched this inaugural release as the first of three, aptly named The Luminary Series. In the coming years, the three exceptional editions will each contain two whiskies: The Rare and The Collectible.
First up on the list of talented luminaries is the acclaimed architect Kengo Kuma and his protégé Maurizio Mucciola, alongside The Dalmore’s master distiller Richard Paterson OBE and master whisky maker Gregg Glass. In a true coming together of skilled masters and their protégés, the Luminary No.1, 2022 Edition celebrates a collective passion for natural materials and craftsmanship.
Created by protégés Mucciola and Glass, The Collectible is a 15-year-old limited-edition whisky with quite the maturation journey. It was first matured in American white oak and finished in hand selected Italian Amarone Red Wine casks and bespoke ‘Kintsugi’ casks, which were crafted specifically for this edition from Scottish Tay wood, sourced from an upcycled tree found on the banks of the River Tay, Japanese Mizunara Oak and American White Oak. The result is an innovative ‘Kintsugi’ cask that reflects the heritage of the luminaries that made it.
It’s easy to see why The Collectible is a whisky collector’s dream. Achieving a unique flavour profile through an innovative maturation technique, it’s housed in an exquisite presentation box designed by Maurizio Mucciola. The contemporary casing with a geometric pattern celebrates the relationship between whisky and nature, demonstrating how Mucciola’s mentor Kuma has inspired his practice.
TASTING NOTES
Inhale warm and welcoming aromas of rich fruits, panna cotta, honey-roasted almonds and citrus oils. On the palate, notice layers of uplifting citrus notes, chocolate, cherry and moist ginger cake, finishing with a wave of dried fruits, wood spice and cacao.
About Dalmore
Dalmore’s character, densely fruity with a cereal background, is the product of one of the strangest distillation regimes in Scotland.
The wash stills at Dalmore have flat tops, and are also in two sizes. Three are 13,000-litres in capacity, the fourth is double that. The spirit stills all sport water coolers around their necks to assist in reflux. Again, one of the quartet is double the size. Because of this discrepancy in size and the fact that the spirit stills are charged when the low wines and feints receiver is full, the strength of the charge to those stills varies, creating different end flavours. Though it seems random to an outsider, thankfully it is controlled by high experienced stillmen. All these distillates are vatted before being casked.
Condensing is also unusual. The spirit stills have external shell and tube condensers which lie horizontally. This mirrors the old worm pipe which lay in the burn which runs outside the stillhouse.
Ex-Sherry casks are the most commonly-used maturation vessel and unlike many distilleries, ex-solera casks soaked in oloroso and PX Sherry for decades are preferred over the oak-driven bespoke casks now common across the industry.
The northern distilleries seem to have a disproportionately high number of wealthy backers. Dalmore is typical of this. It was founded, in 1839, by Alexander Matheson who had made his fortune as a partner in Jardine Matheson the trading firm which took over from the East India Company and which, by that time, was controlling exports of opium trade into China.
The lease (and eventually ownership) was taken by the Mackenzie family in 1878 and it remained family-owned until 1960 when one of Dalmore’s main customers, Whyte & Mackay, took control. A significant contributor to W&M’s blends, for many years Dalmore’s presence in the world of single malt was restricted to a 12-year-old expression. In recent times however the range has expanded dramatically, with a core range of 12, 15, 18 and 25-years-old, plus no-age-statement specialities like King Alexander III, Cigar Malt, and an ever-growing selection of luxury expressions such as the 21-strong Constellation range (comprising vintages from 1964 to 1992) and 1951 ‘Sirius’. Prices at the top end regularly top five figures.
W&M itself has gone through a dizzying number of hands in recent times. Its current custodian is Emperador of the Philippines.
46.8% ABV
70cl
This product is not to be purchased by anyone under the age of 18 or drinking age in their country.
We reserve the right to ask for your identification should it be necessary to do so.
| Specification name | Specification Value |
|---|---|
| Country | Scotland |
| Region | Highlands |
| Whiskey style | Single malt |
| Whiskey variety | Scotch |
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