The Dalmore Cask Curation Series Port Edition makes its debut at the home of Symington Family Estates – the finest winemakers of Portugal – and makers of Graham’s Port. This very rare trio of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies is strictly limited to 150 sets, available worldwide 1st October 2024.
The 2024 release is the second chapter in the series that celebrates The Dalmore’s whisky making artistry and the role played by exquisite casks sourced from the world’s finest winemakers, in the creation of the iconic Single Malt Scotch Whisky.
Casks are intrinsic to the craft of Scotch Whisky, as the vessel within which the spirit is matured. In time the cask will influence the whisky, due not only to the type of wood it is made from, but the fine wines it has held previously. The life a cask has led is fundamental to the potential it represents to the whisky maker, which is why The Dalmore whisky makers curate exquisite casks sourced from the world’s finest wineries and bodegas.
The Port Edition was born from the exclusive partnership between The Dalmore and Symington Family Estates, who grant The Dalmore’s whisky makers exclusive access to the rarest of Graham’s Port casks.
Each set in the collection comprises three rare, aged whiskies, which together showcase the flavour potential in Graham’s Port wine casks, each one nurtured for decades under the watchful eye of winemakers, today led by Head Winemaker Charles Symington (4th Generation). It is in the hands of The Dalmore’s whisky makers that these carefully curated, very rare Port casks enhance the rich character of the exceptional Single Malt Scotch Whisky for which The Dalmore is renowned.
The Port Edition is beautifully presented in a bespoke leather-finished travel case handcrafted in Florence, Italy – perfectly framing the trio of new expressions. Each age-statement whisky is housed in the iconic Dalmore bottle adorned with a matching collar. The presentation features a striking green hue, synonymous with Portugal and the winemakers, which Port Edition celebrates.
• Aged 27 Years, finished in very rare Graham’s 1997 Single Harvest Tawny Port casks • Aged 30 Years, finished in very rare Graham’s 1994 Single Harvest Tawny Port casks • Aged 43 Years, finished in exceptionally rare Graham’s 1952 Single Harvest Tawny Port casks
Each expression is natural colour and non-chill filtered.
The Dalmore has previously released Port-finished expressions to great acclaim. It is the unique influence offered by Graham’s rare Port casks that excites The Dalmore’s whisky makers. Each cask represents the potential to influence the character of the whisky, offering notes of rich fruits and dark chocolate.
A century of whisky making artistry is captured in this exceptional collection. The story begins in the valley high above the Douro River, where since the 1700s, Portuguese winemakers have painstakingly carved into the schist soil to create terraced vineyards in the mountainside, distinctive to the Douro.
Each year at Graham’s principal estate, Quinta dos Malvedos, the grapes – exclusively picked by hand – are taken to the onsite boutique winery where they are transformed into the exquisite wines the port house is renowned for.
90 miles downriver in Vila Nova de Gaia is Graham’s 1890 Lodge, overlooking the historic coastal city of Porto, the gateway to the Atlantic. After each harvest, Graham’s wines are taken to the lodge where they are assessed by Master Blender, Charles Symington. Only the very finest wines are selected for long-term ageing and these wines often remain at the lodge for decades.
Graham’s Lodge has become the destination for discerning city visitors who visit the Porto region in their millions each year. Graham’s is a hallmark of port, which is why visitors make the pilgrimage to the Graham’s Lodge to explore how flavour is blended to create the perfect wine in this style.
Scotland and Portugal enjoy a shared history. Brothers William and John Graham founded the company in 1820 and later would take 27 pipes of port wine as payment in place of a debt. That transaction would set the course for the creation of one of the great and enduring port houses. In 1970, the 3rd generation of the Symington family acquired Graham’s Port and have continued to grow its reputation for producing outstanding ports.
For decades, The Dalmore’s whisky makers have made the journey to Vila Nova de Gaia to hand-select very rare port pipes, perfect for their whisky making artistry and made exclusively available to The Dalmore.
“Graham’s really is special, as a peaceful place to meet the casks, and listen to them and their story. Plus, it is a unique place to enjoy The Dalmore, overlooking the river and the city. The collection is a celebration not only of partnership, but of the friendship between us at The Dalmore and the Symington family (owners of Graham’s Port)”.
Margaret Nicol, The Dalmore
The curation of exquisite casks is central to the whisky making artistry for which The Dalmore has become renowned. The distillery was established to create a Single Malt like no other, leading to the pioneering of multi-cask maturation in 1868. Led today by Gregg Glass and Richard Paterson OBE, The Dalmore is home to an unbroken chain of visionary whisky makers, curating the rarest of casks in pursuit of the creation of truly exceptional whisky.
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 The Dalmore’s whisky makers to develop spirit over longer periods and inspires them to seek out the finest and rarest casks from the world’s greatest vineyards and bodegas. Each of these exquisite casks offers unique potential, its characteristics influencing the personality of The Dalmore Single Malt as it quietly matures over the months, years, and decades.
This collection is the second chapter of The Dalmore Cask Curation Series. In 2025 the third release will be unveiled, followed by the fourth and final release concluding the series in 2026. Each release will celebrate The Dalmore’s long-standing relationships with the world’s finest winemakers.
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