
Founded by Alexander Matheson in 1839, The Dalmore is one of the oldest and most revered distilleries in Scotland, operating out of a historic facility in Alness – a property that was gifted to the chief of the MacKenzie clan in 1263 after he saved King Alexander III from being charged and trampled by a large stag. And while the storied Scottish distillery is no stranger to ultra-top-shelf single malts having debuted more than a dozen over its expansive 182-year history, The Dalmore has now unveiled one of its most noteworthy limited-edition lineups with its Decades Whisky Collection.
An ultra-limited release, the collection is comprised of five bottles that date back to as far as 1967. Hand-selected by master blender Richard Paterson, the collection includes The Dalmore Decades 2000 “Into the New Millennium” bottle that has spent every day for the last two decades aging in a Matusalem Oloroso sherry, as well as The Dalmore Decades 1995 “The Creation of an Icon,” which is a more than quarter-century-old Scotch that’s been matured in ex-Bourbon casks, finished in Tintilla de Rota port pipes, and sold in a minimalistic bell-shaped bottle. Even older is the collection’s The Dalmore Decades 1979 “Curating Exquisite Casks” which consists of a 40-year-old single malt tribute to the fruitful and symbiotic relationship between González Byass and the fabled distillery. Also included is The Dalmore Decades 1980 “Unbroken Chain of Visionaries” which is a four-decade-old single malt that celebrated the arrival of The Dalmore’s current master distiller Richard Paterson. Anchoring the 15 bottle release is The Dalmore Decades 1967 “Expertly Composed Spirit.” Easily the most elite bottle in the collection, The Dalmore Decades 1967 is a complex single malt that dates back 54 years and boasts a unique flavor profile thanks to, among other things, being finished in a Mont-Redon Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine barrique.
Limited to only 15 sets worldwide, The Dalmore Decades Whisky Collection is slated to hit the market in October, where it will be available through select liquor retailers, as well as through several prestigious auction houses such as Sotheby’s. Pricing for each ultra-rare, five-bottle set will set back lucky (and extremely wealthy) buyers a whopping $275,000.