A creative collaboration brings two new limited-edition whiskies to ‘The Dalmore Luminary Series’ curated in partnership with V&A Dundee!

A creative collaboration brings two new limited-edition whiskies to ‘The Dalmore Luminary Series’ curated in partnership with V&A Dundee!

The collaboration is the second chapter of The Dalmore Luminary Series curated in partnership with V&A Dundee, Scotland’s design museum, which brings together luminaries from the worlds of whisky and architectural design

‘The Rare’ 49 Year Old Highland Single Malt, housed in a dramatic glass sculpture by Melodie Leung of Zaha Hadid Architects, will be auctioned at Sotheby’s in May 2024 with all proceeds donated to V&A Dundee

The Dalmore’s Richard Paterson OBE, Zaha Hadid Architects Melodie Leung, and The Dalmore’s Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass at The Dalmore Distillery

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In collaboration with V&A Dundee, The Dalmore Luminary Series unveils its latest creations: an exquisite glass amber sculpture and a collectible presentation case housing two exceptionally rare Highland Single Malt whiskies. The Dalmore Luminary – The Rare – 2024 Edition will be auctioned, with all proceeds benefiting Scotland’s design museum, while The Dalmore Luminary – The Collectible – 2024 Edition will be available at luxury and specialist retailers worldwide starting April 2nd, 2024.

This trilogy celebrates the relentless pursuit of excellence through dynamic partnerships between whisky mastery and architectural design luminaries. The Dalmore Luminary – The Rare – 2024 Edition showcases a collaboration between Melodie Leung, Director at Zaha Hadid Architects, Gregg Glass, Master Whisky Maker at The Dalmore, and Master Distiller Richard Paterson OBE.

Leung and The Dalmore’s whisky artisans have collaboratively explored the intersections of their intricate skills and knowledge. The outcome is two remarkable releases that push the boundaries of Zaha Hadid Architects’ signature style and The Dalmore’s craftsmanship. These offerings promise to captivate both whisky aficionados and design enthusiasts, offering a captivating exploration of the interplay between flavor and form.

The Dalmore Luminary – The Rare – 2024 Edition
• Only three decanters and two sculptures will ever be made of The Rare, a 49 Year Old Single Malt from The Dalmore housed in a dynamic, glass amber sculpture designed by Leung and her team at Zaha Hadid Architects
• With an extraordinary maturation and blending process, the 49 Year Old Highland Single Malt offers layers of intense vanilla, dark berry fruit and cacao aromas, with a palate of freshly roasted chestnuts, blackcurrant, Doyenne pears and soft patisserie spices leading to a subtle, sweet smoke finish
• The whisky was matured in American White Oak ex-Bourbon casks and finished in a blend of Port Colheita 1963, Apostoles sherry, select Bourbon and a unique 1951/Virgin Oak hybrid cask

One covetable set is expected to attract interest from collectors globally and achieve upwards of six figures when offered at auction through Sotheby’s in May 2024, with all proceeds donated to V&A Dundee.

The Dalmore Luminary – The Collectible – 2024 Edition
• Whisky enthusiasts can also discover a one-of-a-kind expression from The Dalmore through The Collectible which features a small amount of exceptionally rare peated Dalmore spirit
• This introduces a whisper of herbal wood smoke over a nose of Manuka honey, crème brûlée, antique leather and delicate tropical notes complemented by a rich palate of ripe figs, oranges, forest fruits and brioche
• The 16 Year Old was matured in Bourbon casks and finished in a blend of Graham’s Tawny Port pipes and Apostoles sherry casks, with a small portion in peated, hand-selected, ex-refill Bourbon casks
• The bottle is housed in a presentation case that echoes the glowing, swirling design of The Rare sculpture
• From April 2nd 2024, 20,000 sets will be available at a recommended retail price of £275 at select luxury and specialist retailers worldwide as well as global travel retail

THE DALMORE LUMINARY – THE RARE – 2024 EDITION GLASS SCULPTURE

The carefully crafted elements of The Dalmore Luminary – 2024 Edition were conceived entirely collaboratively, with Glass, Paterson and Leung working symbiotically to bring the whiskies to life.

Glass says: “This was a true meeting of minds, and the new releases beautifully express the shared journey we’ve all been on.

While crafting our two new whiskies, we used the technique of time – nurtured carefully to transform through blending – to elevate The Dalmore to a new level. Flavour, colour and form meet together in a holistic sensory experience with swirls of texture, depth, complexity and nuance. We are delighted to finally be sharing these special whiskies with the world
– Gregg Glass: The Dalmore’s Master Whisky Maker

Experiencing The Dalmore’s outstanding craftsmanship first-hand and being initiated into the complex world of whisky making by Gregg and Richard provided extremely fertile ground for design inspiration.

The sculpture we created for The Rare was inspired by our fascinating discussions around the interaction and flow of flavour notes in the whisky-making process. It mirrors the multiple layers of ageing and blending that went into creating this whisky, which is the exquisite product of nature channelled over time.
– Melodie Leung: Zaha Hadid Architects

The Rare and The Collectible are covetable additions to any serious collection and reflect the shared commitment of The Dalmore, V&A Dundee and Leung to champion exceptional design and innovation on a global scale. All proceeds from Sotheby’s sale of The Rare will be donated to V&A Dundee in support of its important mission to inspire and empower through design.

The Dalmore, Zaha Hadid Architects and V&A Dundee have combined forces and included the architectural practice in an exciting new exhibition opening at V&A Dundee on Friday 29th March, Photo City: How Images Shape the Urban World – see Editors Notes.

The Dalmore Luminary – The Rare – 2024 Edition

New Exhibition at V&A Dundee – co-curated with the V&A to feature ZHA – Photo City: How Images Shape the Urban World (opens 29 March 2024, free)

Photo City brings together iconic images from the V&A’s spectacular photography collections as well as works by contemporary photographers, architects, and digital artists to explore how photography and cities have influenced each other.

ZHA has works held at the V&A South Kensington and now V&A Dundee have included the architectural practice in a new exhibition opening at V&A Dundee on Friday 29th March.

Supported by The Dalmore, the exhibition will be open to the public until 27 October to celebrate Dundee’s Decade of Design, the 10th anniversary of Dundee’s designation as the UK’s only UNESCO City of Design.

The exhibition explores how photographs are powerful tools that not only document the city, but also help us to project and design future cities and new ways of living together. The exhibition also expands on the idea of what photography is by including contemporary imaging technologies such as GPS, drones, gaming technology and lidar scanning.

The Dalmore distillery’s collection of idiosyncratic stills creates a New Make spirit of unique character and depth – robust and fruity, particularly well-suited to longer and more complex maturation. This allows renowned Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass and his team to develop spirit over longer periods, continuing a tradition of visionary whisky-making as they fully express their art using rare casks from some of the world’s finest wineries and bodegas.

The Dalmore Vintage 2005!

The Dalmore Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky has unveiled two new Limited-Editions – The Dalmore Vintage 2005 and The Dalmore Vintage 2008 – which form the third release from the distiller’s prestigious Vintage Collection.

The Dalmore Vintage Collection, created by innovative Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass and Master Distiller Richard Paterson OBE, offers exceptional whiskies of distinguished character. The whiskies selected to form The Dalmore Vintage Collection are ultimately dictated by the casks themselves and the way they choose to shine during the annual cask inspection week, in a tradition which dates back over fifty years.

The Dalmore Vintage Collection offers exceptional whiskies of distinguished character!

Each November, The Dalmore whisky makers spend countless hours in their historic warehouses on the banks of the Cromarty Firth, reacquainting themselves with their rare casks that have been quietly, patiently maturing. November is the optimum time for this process to take place, with the casks at rest in the cooler temperatures after the warm summer months, and their flavours alive and true.

Only the most exceptional casks, which display the finest qualities of The Dalmore and its signature style during this time, are hand-picked to become a ‘Vintage’. For the 2023 Vintage Collection, The Dalmore’s unmistakable chocolate and orange profile is showcased. The 15 Year Old, Vintage 2008 offers milk chocolate and mandarin, while the 18 Year Old, Vintage 2005 presents dark chocolate and Seville orange.

The Dalmore Vintage 2008 provides aromas of milk chocolate, caramel, mandarin, and cracked black pepper. To taste, manuka honey, sweet cacao, poached apples, and golden sultanas. To finish, expect to enjoy vanilla cream, chocolate brioche, Navelina orange, and a light cinnamon warmth. This expression has been matured in American white oak ex-Bourbon casks and enhanced by hand-selected Matusalem Sherry and Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks, with an ABV of 45.8%, natural colour, and non-chill filtered.

The Dalmore Vintage 2008!

The Dalmore Vintage 2005 offers aromas of dark chocolate, salted caramel, antique leather, and rich orange citrus. To taste, expect rich cacao, blood orange, dark fruits, marzipan, and moist ginger cake. To finish, Madagascan vanilla with Seville orange, a rich nuttiness and long, dry chocolate complexities. This expression has been matured in American white oak ex-Bourbon casks and enhanced by hand-selected Matusalem Sherry and Vintage 2005 Sherry casks, with an ABV of 49.3%, natural colour, and non-chill filtered.

The annual cask inspection which ultimately leads to the creation of each years Vintage Collection is a true highlight of working on The Dalmore. We can never know what time and nature has given to these whiskies, until we take stock each November and see what magic has unfolded in the year. Richard and I select casks which we feel contain whiskies that exemplify The Dalmore’s quality and style, with the best of the best, becoming our Limited-Edition Vintages.

For 2023, we are pleased to present two whiskies which, at different ages, showcase nuances of The Dalmore’s signature notes – chocolate, orange, and subtle spice. Vintage 2008 reveals naturally balanced shades and interplays of sweet cacao, fresh citrus and soft spices, and is a beautiful example of refined elegance from The Dalmore, captured at a moment in time. Vintage 2005 has quintessential dark chocolate notes which intertwine with rich citrus offering a flavour experience to be remembered and savoured.
– Gregg Glass: Master Whisky Maker

The Dalmore 2008 Vintage ($225) and The Dalmore 2005 Vintage ($490) is available from select outlets worldwide.

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The Dalmore distillery’s collection of idiosyncratic stills creates a New Make spirit of unique character and depth – robust and fruity, particularly well-suited to longer and more complex maturation. This allows renowned Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass and his team to develop spirit over longer periods, continuing a tradition of visionary whisky-making as they fully express their art using rare casks from some of the world’s finest wineries and bodegas.

The Dalmore 2003 Vintage and The Dalmore 2007 Vintage!

The Dalmore Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky has unveiled two new limited editions from the Vintage collection, The Dalmore 2003 Vintage and The Dalmore 2007 Vintage!

Created by pioneering Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass and Master Distiller Richard Paterson OBE, The Dalmore Vintage collection showcases exceptional whiskies of distinguished character, each hand-selected in November, following a five decades-old Dalmore tradition.

Once a year, The Dalmore whisky makers visit the distillery to reacquaint themselves with their rare casks laid to mature in their historic warehouses, on the banks of Scotland’s great natural waterway, the Cromarty Firth in the Scottish Highlands.

November marks the optimum time for The Dalmore whisky makers to return to the distillery to assess their rare casks and the whiskies laid maturing within, as the cooling climate allows their potential to truly shine. Only the most exceptional whiskies reviewed during this special time and considered to have distinguished character are chosen to become a Dalmore Vintage.

The Dalmore 2003 Vintage offers on the nose – Manuka Honey, dark toffee, aged vanilla-pods; on the palate – warm honey, maple syrup and spiced dark fruits; and finishing notes of antique honey, old English marmalade and sweet spice. This elegant whisky was first matured in ex-Bourbon American oak casks, then enhanced through a carefully balanced recipe of hand-selected casks; Rivesaltes sweet wine casks, rare Matusalem and Amoroso sherry casks and small-batch Bourbon barrels.

The Dalmore 2007 Vintage offers on the nose – Honey, fresh baked brioche and ice ginger cake; on the palate – orange blossom honey, spices and mandarins; and finishing notes of patisserie sugars, ginger snaps and cinnamon. The antique qualities of this whisky are created through an initial maturation in ex-Bourbon American white oak barrels, then enhanced with a harmony of rare-hand-selected aged casks – Matusalem, Apostoles and Amoroso sherry, alongside sweet Marsala wine barrels.

The time we take each November at The Dalmore is a true highlight of my year. At The Dalmore every cask is special, but when it comes to a Dalmore Vintage, we assess rare casks by hand, reacquainting ourselves with the character of each whisky.

For a whisky to become a Dalmore Vintage we are looking for a distinctive characteristic that distinguishes that Single Malt above all else that year, a whisky with true potential to shine.
– Gregg Glass: Master Whisky Maker

The Dalmore 2003 Vintage (RRP £350, 46.9% ABV) and 2007 Vintage (RRP £150, 46.5% ABV) and available from December at select outlets worldwide. UK outlets include; Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, Master of Malt, Whisky Exchange and The Whisky Shop.

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The Dalmore 21 Year Old 2022 Edition Highland Single Malt!

The Dalmore Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky has introduced a new 21 Year Old, set to become the pinnacle of The Dalmore Principal Collection!

This elegant expression showcases the care taken to nurture The Dalmore Single Malt Whisky across 21 years of whisky making artistry. This new annual release is strictly limited to 8,000 bottles and available to purchase and enjoy in select locations worldwide.
The Dalmore 21 is a celebration – 21 years in the making. It captures the essence of the carefully composed spirit produced by The Dalmore’s symphony of stills, with a character developed over 21 years. The Dalmore’s whisky artistry team takes exceptional care to balance the influence of the rare casks and ensure that the character of The Dalmore 21 Years Old shines through.

A toast to the refinement that comes with age, The Dalmore 21 Year Old is a celebration of exceptional character and showcases the potential that emerges at this milestone, evolving to create a true masterpiece worth commemorating.

The Dalmore distillery produces a spirit renowned for depth and finesse, perfectly suited to maturation in carefully curated casks. This new expression rests for an initial period in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels. The whisky is then matured in specially selected rare casks sourced from esteemed sherry makers Gonzalez Byass, of Jerez. These casks were previously used within the unique solera system to produce the distinguished 30 Year Old Matusalem oloroso sherry.

The Dalmore 21 Year Old composition features a refined house style of bitter chocolate, Seville blood orange and subtle spice. The Dalmore whisky artistry team has sought to create harmony in this expression, balancing the characteristics of Columbian coffee on the nose, sweet liquorice on the palette and peaches on the finish.

Only after 21 years can a whisky of this quality and depth emerge, creating a delectably distinguished Single Malt.

The Dalmore 21 Year Old is a result of patience and craftsmanship which we’re tremendously proud to celebrate. We created this spirit for those looking for the finest of whiskies, whilst also creating an opportunity for those embarking on their whisky journey to try something truly inspirational and remarkable from The Dalmore.
– Gregg Glass: Master Whisky Maker

The Dalmore Principal Collection is an exceptional collection of eight Single Malt Whiskies, each an expression of The Dalmore’s signature depth and finesse. The Dalmore 21 Years Old will become the pinnacle of the collection that features the iconic The Dalmore King Alexander III and The Dalmore 18 Years Old.

The Dalmore 21 Years Old (bottled to be enjoyed at ABV 43.8%) is available from select retailers worldwide with an RRP of £575.

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Tasting notes

The Dalmore Distillery

Founded in 1839,The Dalmore has gone on to become an exceptional Single Malt Scotch Whisky, admired for its depth and finesse. Despite experiencing phenomenal demand for its whisky, the distillery has retained a uniquely intimate scale, nestled beside North Scotland’s great waterway – The Cromarty Firth.

The capital investment programme proposes a new whisky making facility and visitor experience, whilst retaining the distinctive character of the distillery. A beautiful Pagoda, sat elegantly atop The Old Dalmore Kiln, will mark the heart of the reimagined distillery. Existing estate will be repurposed, breathing new life into historic realms, to create an iconic distillery, home to an exceptional Single Malt.

The vision is to honour the whisky making artistry that takes place at The Dalmore. The distillery is unique; known for its idiosyncratic symphony of stills, and curation of exquisite casks, it has been the birthplace of an unrivalled catalogue of rare and aged releases. The programme will retain the character of the estate, taking great care with the unique nature of the distillery and that of its famed new make spirit. The reimagined distillery will allow The Dalmore’s whisky making artistry to shine.

The investment will ensure a sustainable future for The Dalmore and its exceptional whisky making. In 2021 the parent group – Whyte and Mackay Ltd – published The Green Print; their sustainability strategy, which set the objective to become Net Zero by 2040. This investment will create a new whisky making and production facility, built to exacting sustainability standards, and transitioning the site to a green energy solution.

The announcement is made as The Dalmore continues to enjoy unrivalled demand, becoming the No.1 fastest growing Single Malt. In 2021 The Dalmore achieved a record-breaking performance at auction at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, whilst industry authority Rare Whisky 101 recognised the brand as one of the world’s most investible Single Malts.

Threesixty Architecture have been appointed architects, Blyth and Blyth Consulting Engineers lead designers and whisky industry authority Forsyths are consulting on the process and the whisky making aspect of the development. Formal Planning Application has been submitted.