What do we know about this Dalmore? That it was matured in not one or two casks but seven! Aside from the standard ex-bourbon (Kentucky) and Sherry, it also spent time in wine (unspecified), Madeira, Marsala and Port casks. The goal was to produce a unique rich, fruity Highland single malt.
However we knew none of this when we sampled it… blind…
Dalmore King Alexander III 40%
- Colour – Deep dark burgundy
- Nose – Dark fruits, cherries, nuts, cheap chocolate bar with nuts and raisins, curdled milk, liquorice, an oddly artificial aroma
- Palate – A light teasing spice, a bit of mango pickle?
- Finish – Lingers – a bit bitter then gets spicier with a fruity close… yet still a medium finish that runs away
The colour was a dead give away that something else was going on… which we later discovered with the reveal is augmented with caramel. Hmm…
Overall it was a bit disappointing nothing exceptional and there were a few odd elements that didn’t quite work.
Our host shared he received this whisky as a gift. There was no doubt the person gifting had the absolute best of intentions. And it certainly isn’t cheap – typically retailing for approx $200.
However in our humble opinion, there was more hype and high price than quality. Which is a pity.
What do the Dalmore folks have to say about the King Alexander III?
- Aroma – Red berry fruits and hints of passion fruit
- Palate – Citrus zest, vanilla pod, crème caramel and crushed almonds
- Finish – Cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger
What else did we try?
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Whisky Lady 
Only tried this once so far at a fair. I remember that I liked this a lot. That day, I found it to be quite leathery and dusty with delicate fruits underneath. To form a real opinion, however, I’d need to re-visit it at home. If I have learned one thing, it’s that my palate is not to be trusted on a long day at a whisky fair. 😀
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I fully appreciate that “speed dating” a whisky at a fair with a mere sniff and swish is just a teaser! We also are challenged with the impact of heat when storing whisky in Mumbai so that can be a factor. Whatever was going on, this particular bottle just wasn’t happening for us. As I arrived late my tasting companions had already formed an opinion… without their influence, I formed a similar one.
BTW I’m in Munich next week… and heard there might be some interesting whisky explorations nearby you recommend I explore June 8th? I’m then off to Turkey June 9th evening…
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To be honest, most people I’ve talked to about the King Alex III shared your opinion rather than mine. I’m curious to try it again at home to see if I’d still enjoy it that much. At that fair, I had some killer stuff like Tullibardine 25yo or Glenfarclas 30yo. Still, the Dalmore left the biggest impression on me. oO
As for Munich, I cannot give you too many insider’s tips cause I’ve never been to the city myself. I know that Slyrs distillery is ~1 hours away by bus. And there’s a cool whisky shop in the city called Sieberts Whiskywelt. But that’s about all I can tell you about whisky in Munich.
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Hahah! That’s more than I knew… so appreciated 🙂
And hope you get another chance to try the King Alex!
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