Review / Dalmunach 6 years old

This new whisky is the inaugural bottling from the Speyside distillery of Dalmunach that is available for general release. The Dalmunach 6 years old will form part of a trilogy of whiskies from the distillery in a series named Mythical Creatures. All will be inspired by Scottish mythology. The first features the wulver, a mysterious beast said to hunt and fish around the coast of the remote Shetland isles. The whisky has been matured in American oak ex-bourbon casks and will be exclusive to The Whisky Exchange. The Dalmunach 6 years old Mythical Creatures 'Wulver' is bottled at 60% ABV and will cost £59.95 per bottle. To purchase - click here.

Dalmunach was founded by Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky arm of Pernod Ricard, in 2015. It was built on the site of the former Imperial distillery near the village of Carron in Speyside. Imperial had operated from 1897 until 2002. The old buildings, except several warehouses, were demolished to build the new state-of-the-art distillery. Dalmunach is large with an annual production capacity of 10 million litres. Much of this is allocated for use in the Chivas Brothers' portfolio of blends including Chivas Regal and Ballantine's. 

Our tasting notes

The colour is pale gold and the nose is fresh, green and vibrant. Aromas of crisp green apple and pear lead the way and sit alongside further aromas of icing sugar, vanilla fudge and marshmallow. Underneath are hints of white chocolate, cocoa powder, lemon zest and freshly cut grass. There is also an underlying yet distinct malty quality.

On the palate this whisky is equally as uplifting as on the nose. The high ABV contributes to this vibrancy and the crisp green fruit again lead the way. The slightly sharp apple and underripe pear are to the fore. Then comes the malty and grassy notes - these underpin everything and give good structure. There is also a distinct lemon note (think of candied lemon zest), plus hints of juicy peach and hazelnut praline.

The sweeter characteristics are never far away and seem more sugary than on the nose. The icing sugar has evolved to become more reminiscent of vanilla infused sugar. There are also notes of butterscotch, toasted marshmallow and custard powder towards the finish. A pinch of white pepper, cinnamon and powdered ginger are detected later.

The finish is of decent length and is a little peppery. This is especially true once the sweeter elements fade. This brings the tangy green apple and warming spices in to play even more and these drag out the finish well. A late hint of ginger cake rounds things off very nicely.

What's the verdict?

We always find it exciting and intriguing to sample the inaugural whisky from a new distillery. It sets the benchmark for what to expect in the future and makes the long wait worthwhile (hopefully). Dalmunach is a classic Speysider with green apple and pear characteristics, plus a delicious level of sweetness.We also like that it is being sold at an approachable price, unlike some of its contemporaries.

At 60% ABV, the whisky is punchy and benefits from the addition of water. This knocks back some of the heat and spiciness while making the whisky softer and more gentle. However, it also loses some of its vibrancy so we quite like the expressiveness at the full strength. Definitely one to try if you get the opportunity.