As you intensely gaze into the thick bottomed, heavy crystal glass, time pauses and you are transported almost 150 years back in time. In the depths of the amber, deep golden nectar, you view history unfurl itself—the history of mankind, legends of Scotland and the art of distillation in the world from 1868, across 1878 over to 1926 and as recent as 1939. From the wilderness of Scotland, to clashes between the clans, from stag heads to horsebacks, from battle grounds to bespoke bottlings; secrets guarded over centuries mingle with tales of bravery and undying spirit, captured since 1263 AD. As you immerse in history, gentle aromas of sweet and complex flavours greet you and beckon your senses. You look longingly into the whisky and find that the deep gold colour, assures you of strong character and intense complexity.
History, tradition and legacy, all find themselves in harmonious co-existence. All lovingly captured in a magnificent dram, a dram called The DalmoreTrinitas —truly representing a trinity of unimaginable luxury. If you are one of the few who have had the fortune to taste one of the three bottles, released so far, then the heady notes of sweet raisins, rich Columbian coffee, crushed walnuts and zesty orange, followed by a fusion of grapefruit and musky sandalwood must have lingered in your mind for long. A generous sip and prolonged stay in the mouth will unveil sultanas, figs and caramelised toppings of Seville oranges and summer fruits and dates. With a few drops of water, a wave of new flavours greet you—sweet muscatel grape, marzipan, treacle toffee, soft liquorice and roasted coffee. A soft caress of truffles and walnuts on the palate brings the voyage to a flawless finish.
Welcome to the world of uber luxury, in the world of whisky, as luxury reaches its highest
pinnacle in a super -luxury range of The Dalmore.
In this season of festive spirit, we share some of the most celebrated whiskies and showcase a true gem that will pamper your palate and tantalise your taste buds.
Leading the luxury range is the hand-crafted The Dalmore Trinitas—a 64-year-old single malt. It is exceptional because it is rare. It has been rated as the most luxurious whisky internationally. A single bottle will set you back by £100,000. With exceptional whiskies since 1868, the whisky captures the skills of the Master Blender Richard Paterson, who enhanced the whisky by maturing it for the final two years, in a nine-litre American white oak cask. The whisky was prepared by first soaking it in an exceptionally rare Dalmore, before filling with a rich Matusalem Oloroso and a Pedro Ximenez, two ancient sherries from the esteemed house of Gonzalez Byass. The outcome –the world’s most luxurious single malt.
The story of The Dalmore began with Colin Mackenzie, of the Clan Mackenzie who was granted the use of the 12 pointer Stag’s head or Royal as his Coat of Arms, after he saved King Alexander III from being gored to death by a stag. The Stag’s Head, which is symbolic of daring and chivalry, still adorns every bottle of Dalmore. The Dalmore is located in far North of Scotland, 22 miles north of Inverness in the Highlands of Scotland. The distillery itself is located in the town of Alness on the banks of the Cromarty Firth. Dalmore means “Big Meadowland”.
It has been crafted using a process, which has been perfected over the last 150 years. Unique distillation process, bespoke oak casks, master distiller and finest wood from some of the wineries. Rich and rewarding liquid, which is enjoyed by all across the globe.
According to Richard Paterson, “Both my father and grandfather were whisky blenders, therefore whisky runs in my blood with an unstinting passion. Dalmore’s location is also incredible and the whisky is magnificent. Situated on the northern shores of the Firth of Cromarty, deep in the spectacular Scottish Highlands, The Dalmore distillery is perfectly located to optimise on the bounties of nature surrounding it.
The distillery is perfectly placed to take advantage of a feast of natural resources: from the waters of Loch Morie, found high in the hills overlooking the distillery, to the golden barley of the rich coastal soils of the Black Isle. Being sited at sea level is critically important. Enveloped by the salt air, the sea-facing traditional dunnage warehouses provide the ideal conditions for maturation. The Dalmore Distillery has been producing exceptional single malt whisky since 1839 and, for almost a century, was owned by the Clan Mackenzie. The clan’s defining influence on the distillery is still evident to this day, with the iconic royal stag’s antlers, taken from the Mackenzie family crest—adorning each and every bottle of The Dalmore.
The Glenfiddich 64 YO, The Balvenie 40 YO, The Macallan 1926, The Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute, Auchentoshan 50 YO, besides the Bowmore 1964 are some of the true gems that need nurturing and caressing at the hands of real whisky
aficionados.
The writer is a whisky connoisseur and director of Spiritual Luxury Living India