08/03/2023 Dalmore

Dalmore 29yo 1989/2018 (51.1%, Cadenhead specially bottled for Cadenhead's Whisky Shop Odense, Bourbon Barrel, 162b): nose: wowee! What have we here? Quince paste, raspberry or gooseberry jelly, strawberry jam, royal jelly, beeswax, flooring wax, then waxy plums, wine-soaked nectarines, greengages... After a minute, dust from a dunnage warehouse joins the party, and there is a drop of nail varnish too. Beautiful! The second nose has burgundy-purple sweets, somewhere between Cola Bottles, Twin Cherries, and purple cuberdons. Later on, so waxy are the plums that they come close to oilskins and scented pencil erasers. Mouth: the attack is more acidic than anticipated. Soon, a mild bitterness rises too that makes me think of new wine-bottle cork, and a growing warmth that perfectly complements the underlying fruitiness. All the waxy plums and nectarines from the nose are here, plus papaya, and timid purple passion fruit. The second sip underlines the acidity: it is dry, borderline drying, at least temporarily, yet oh! so fruity, at the same time. Dark-tulip petals make a late appearance, sprinkled with beeswax. Further sips deliver a resinous kick, refreshing, softly bitter -- think: candied angelica and Valda cough drops: chewy, sweet, and green. The texture remains rather thick. Finish: erm... Perfection? The strength brings a pleasant warmth, glowing, not burning, and the fruity tide continues this far, with juicy plums, nectarines, greengages, pressed apricots, less papaya, but as much purple passion fruit as on the palate. It feels neither bitter, nor acidic, despite being both (it even has a remote butyric note), so balanced it is. Balanced by an undeniable-if-discreet sweetness. The second gulp has waxy-fruit flesh and fruity gum. And then, here too, resin and candied angelica add a fresh twist to that excellence. Holy fook! This is a work of art. Is it a little one-dimensional? Pernickety minds and grumpy souls may say so. They would be complaining for the sake of it. 9/10 (Thanks for the sample, WK)