Dalmore

Introduction:

Situated along the scenic shore of the Comarthy Firth in the Northern Highlands, Dalmore Distillery is renowned for producing one of the world’s most prestigious Single Malt Whiskies. The distillery offers a range of official bottlings to cater to whisky enthusiasts, with the 12-year-old expression being the most iconic. Additionally, Dalmore produces a 15-year-old, 18-year-old, and older expressions. Independent bottlings from the distillery are quite rare, with Gordon & MacPhail being one of the few independent bottlers to release Dalmore whiskies.

Production:

Dalmore sources its water from the picturesque River Averon, which flows through the nearby town of Alness. The river derives its waters from Loch Morie, nestled in the heart of the Northern Highlands. The distillery’s location and the smooth, floral flavor profile of its whisky classify it as a Highland Malt. Over the years, Dalmore has undergone expansions to increase its production capacity. The distillery’s output rose from 3 million liters in 1991 to the current level of 4.2 million liters.

Pot Stills:

Dalmore boasts four wash stills and four spirit stills, each with two different production capacities. Two wash stills hold 16,500 liters, while the other two hold 8,250 liters. These wash stills feature a constriction piece in the intermediate section, leading to a higher level of reflux. The spirit stills parallel this distribution, with two having a capacity of 11,000 liters and the other two holding 7,300 liters. Dalmore employs Lomond stills for distillation, which have three perforated plates that can be cooled separately, allowing the distiller to produce different styles of whisky in the same still. The old wash stills have flat tops, a result of being cut to fit inside the distillery during its construction. This unique design, along with the placement of the Lyne arm on the side, leads to increased reflux and greater copper contact, resulting in a spirit with less pronounced spicy flavors. The old spirit stills date back to 1874, although some parts have been replaced over time. The new make spirit produced at Dalmore is robust and exhibits malty characteristics.

Malting:

From its establishment in 1839 until 1982, Dalmore relied on its own maltings and on-site warehouses for maturation. In 1956, the distillery replaced its floor maltings with a Saladin Box, a mechanical device that turned germinating barley and allowed air to pass through. Peated malt is rarely used at Dalmore, except for creating distinctive smoky notes. In 1982, the distillery ceased its own malting operations and began sourcing malt from industrialized distributors. Presently, the malt is procured from local large-scale malting plants, with a significant portion of the grain sourced from the surrounding area.

Mashing and Fermentation:

Dalmore’s mash tun holds 10.4 tonnes of mash, and three mashing processes are performed to extract sugars and starch from the malt. The eight wooden washbacks are filled with 45,000 liters of mash, to which liquid yeast is added. The bacteria present in the wood contribute to lactobacterial fermentation, adding unique aromas and character to the whisky. At Dalmore, fermentation lasts for a full 50 hours, longer than many other distilleries. This extended fermentation period allows for the development of complex and distinctive flavors in the resulting “beer.”

Warehouse:

Dalmore’s warehouses hold some of the oldest whisky stocks in the world and are considered a destination of pilgrimage for whisky enthusiasts. The distillery hasnine warehouses on its site, including four dunnage warehouses and five racked warehouses. These multi-floor warehouses have a staggering capacity of 65,000 casks. While the mainstay cask type at Dalmore is Bourbon, they also utilize a variety of other casks such as very large Sherry casks, Port pipes, Matusalem casks, and even decades-old casks dating back to 1969.

History:

Dalmore’s history is as intriguing as its whisky. Founded in 1839 by Alexander Matheson, the distillery’s initial funding came from his wealth accumulated through the illegal opium trade in Asia. The Dalmore remained in the possession of the Scottish noble Clan Mackenzie for almost a century, gaining legendary status among Scotch whiskies. However, in 1917, the British Royal Navy started using the adjacent firth for deep-sea mine production, leading to an explosion and fire that severely damaged the distillery in 1920. A legal battle ensued between Andrew Mackenzie, the distillery manager, and the Royal Navy, lasting over five years and reaching the House of Lords. Eventually, the distillery resumed production and continued its success.

In 1966, the number of stills at Dalmore was doubled from four to eight, placing it among the top 25 distilleries worldwide in terms of capacity. During the 1960s, the Mackenzie clan’s company, Mackenzie Brothers Ltd, merged with the renowned distiller Whyte & Mackay. Over the years, Dalmore has experienced various corporate mergers and buyouts, with Diageo acquiring the majority stake in its parent company. Dalmore’s reputation as one of the world’s most famous Single Malts is bolstered by its record-breaking auction prices. For a time, it held the title of the most expensive whisky ever sold at auction, with a 62-year-old bottle fetching a staggering price of £25,000. Sadly, the bottle was opened and consumed on the same night, making it unlikely to resurface in the market to break any further records.

Visitor Centre:

Dalmore’s distillery offers an excellent visitor centre, complete with a shop and a small café. Visitors have the opportunity to take guided tours of the distillery, immersing themselves in its rich history and experiencing the exceptional whisky firsthand.

Visitor information:

The Dalmore Distillery
Alness
Ross-shire
IV17 0UT
Tel: +44 (0)1349-882362