Dailuaine 1997 Whisky Sponge Edition No.64
Decadent Drinks | 48.8% ABV
Score: 7/10
Very Good Indeed.
TL;DR
If this doesn’t capture your attention, then nothing from Dailuaine will
Empty Bottles Makin’ Noise
A thoughtful label of mystery is wrapped around this latest Whisky Sponge release from Dailuaine, pronounced dal-u-ayn (meaning green meadow). It invites us to speculate about the future and the joys that await. This stellar Speyside distillery is one of several across the region that focuses its efforts on providing blending material and has been kicking around since 1865. Very little official Dailuaine makes it out officially into the real world, and as such, the distillery is a relative unknown among the fashionable throngs of whisky enthusiasts.
Thank feck for the independents who have rallied around this and other such distilleries: Dailuaine remains one of my favourites on Speyside and without their efforts, such an addiction would be hard to feed. Fortunately, a great deal of Dailuaine is available — in a mostly ex-bourbon format — and, in my book, it rarely disappoints (while the lofty heights we all seek are sometimes out of reach). A large proportion of the Speyside distilleries have a light, floral and approachable style, then there are the rogues such as Benrinnes, Cragganmore and Mortlach that do things differently and go for a more heavy and meaty savoury style of spirit. I’d push Dailuaine into that company with its 75-hour fermentation, rapid distillation and reduced copper contact combining to produce a distinctive and characterful style of whisky.
The distillery’s claim to fame was that it was the first recipient of a pagoda before it became Scotland’s national road sign for overpriced whisky. Geeks might suggest it is technically a copula, and I get their vibe, but the pagoda image and name are so ingrained in culture now, it would be like Johnnie Walker being reimagined in white and called a Diageo Stormtrooper. Sadly, the eternal menace of distillery fires scrubbed clean any possibility of today’s generation appreciating Dailuaine’s original pagoda.
One aspect I’ve noticed from some commentators is that they find Dailuaine to be industrial. I’ve never fully understood the sentiment; after all, the distillery was selected to replace the void when Clynelish was closed, and who calls the great Highland cat distillery ‘industrial’? If we’re taking it at face value, then all distilleries are industrial: the equipment, large inputs, rigorous following of set practices and then the output, all these are of an industrial scale. So, I’d retort that 99% of distilleries have that industrial theme within their framework – I’ve even seen someone call Daftmill industrial, which underlines how woolly the application truly is.
Even using the word in tasting notes seems misguided. How can you taste ‘industrial’? Glen Mhor at times has a charismatic cement floor note (charismatic if you enjoy such a floor, that is) that underlines the whisky’s unforgiving, inflexible and brutish qualities. Even with Millburn, which really entertains when it comes to dusty floors, to jump into the world of industrial seems a shortcoming. Dufftown has a dirty taint quality and when you visit the distillery it certainly lives up to that billing.
No, I expect an industrial tasting note reflects the greenness and rigidity of the whisky at an early age. For some, these qualities are hard to work around and overcome. Dailuaine is a classy thing given time; a patient approach and a splash of water in some cases can unlock previously hidden delights. With a second decade, things step up a notch and the texture can become waxy and lingering. Most of what Dailuaine you do see at retail comes with a teenage age statement.
“With six stills, Dailuaine has always been a filling malt and until recently was only occasionally to be found in merchant bottlings.”
Tasting notes are often fun, evocative and very personal. Someone once explained to me that they refused to comment on pricing or offer a score because such things are specific to the individual. They then proceeded to offer their own tasting notes. You say banana, I say bollocks. Tasting notes are the most personal aspect of any review. Their saving grace is they can be most entertaining and give you some insight into the character of both the whisky and the reviewer. What they are not is definitive. One of the aspects I enjoyed greatly when combining with Rose to do our joint review efforts, was the theme of ‘opposites attract’. Literally born and bred on other continents, thousands of miles apart, our existences helped shape our senses and our experiences are individual to each of us. Our tasting notes are very different because of our backgrounds. Stepping back from the individual notes, however, you can see themes forming: there are elements that suggested a symmetry, albeit underpinned by different examples from life.
Review
A mix of two refill hogsheads and bottled at 48.8% ABV, this release is available via Decadent Drinks and priced at £165
Pitched at £165, this is one of the more reasonably priced Sponge releases in recent times. Yes, I can recall Signatory Vintage releasing a twentysomething Dailuaine a couple of years ago for under £100, as I purchased it, but those days are long gone. I’m a fan of Cadenhead’s, but the releases of 25 year old this and that for around £100 are over. Sorry to break it to you, but that’s the truth. Blame the rising prices of casks (for a variety of reasons), the demand to invest and the growing secondary market. Things are only going one way currently and there’s no sign of a reverse.
On paper, a well-aged Daluaine such as this, with a good presentation, is likely to be in that £150-200 bracket. This is the cost of drinking such whisky nowadays, and a good mantra is ‘less quantity and more quality’. Various young distilleries are pushing into that £75-100 realm for their young, untamed and inoffensive single malts, giving us batch this or theme that. They’re underlining that it’s now more about collecting than drinking. In such a setting, £165 for a long-established Speyside distillery that’s matured for a quarter of a century in age seems reasonable.
So, industrial? Let’s find out.
Nose
Tarte tatin, nutmeg, mace, wood spice and lime jelly. Characteristic Speyside meadow fruits with pears prominent and yellow raisins. Floral with daisies and buttercups—I’m probably spending too much time in the local woods, but it’s there alongside a wet forest. Fresh honey, cold butter, almonds and a sharp cheese note that’s pleasurable.
Palate
Lovely jubbly, no harshness or rigid metal structures present. Layers of meadow fruits, citrus and honey all roll across the tongue in a delightful fashion. Dried lemon, vanilla, creamy and orange zest. Memories of Barbour-style waxed jackets are revived (not that I’ve ever owned one). Coconut, green melons, lime. There’s a chalky quality present as well.
The Dregs
Maybe some might suggest they expected more from a 25 year old, but I’d disagree. The coming-together here has delivered several bold aspects that linger and delight. A very strong vatting and delivery from the Sponge with a price that is equally attractive.
It’ll probably sit around because it is a Dailuaine and that’s unfortunate as this represents a good deal given what £150 or thereabouts can offer you in the whisky market nowadays. However, it also means you don't need to scramble into a ballot or as soon as an email lands. This is Dailuaine after all, and it deserves your attention.
Score: 7/10
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. DM
-
Dramface is free.
Its fierce independence and community-focused content is funded by that same community. We don’t do ads, sponsorships or paid-for content. If you like what we do you can support us by becoming a Dramface member for the price of a magazine.
However, if you’ve found a particular article valuable, you also have the option to make a direct donation to the writer, here: buy me a dram - you’d make their day. Thank you.
For more on Dramface and our funding read our about page here.
Other opinions on this:
Got a link to a reliable review? Tell us.
