Dalwhinnie

Dalwhinnie is based in the Highlands and sits within the core Diageo family of scotch whiskies. What the distillery seeks to master with this tipple is the art of the balanced dram. Not too peaty or too rich, and it sits comfortably within the centre space of the Diageo flavour map. At 15 years old, making it one of their more mature entry-level drams, this whisky is delivered in a short, squat bottle and is available in most U.K. stores and bars.

ABV: 43%

Nose

M: Sherbet tingle with honey notes.

S: Fairly sweet, with apples and vanilla. The spirit is still a bit too present for me.

Taste

M: Really easy going with honey/caramel sweetness and smoothness.

S: Surprisingky sharp for what is meant to be an easy-drinker. Cake-like flavours, including marzipan. Lychee too.

Finish

M: Fairly quick with a Victoria sponge taste and a softness on the throat.

S: Fuller than I expected, given the above. Nutty.

Verdict

M: A refreshing midweeker. Gentle, sweet and vanilla smooth. For something that’s 15 years old, there’s distinctly no “woody” features, which is not all bad. Definitely something that I would recommend to someone who has never enjoyed a single malt before.

S: Don’t be fooled by the “15” on the bottle, this is a bit underwhelming. Not complex enough for me to rate it highly. Feels like spirit hasn’t been balanced out.