Dalwhinnie (1991) Distillers Edition

Review by: TOModera

Hey, people like Diageo, right?

No?

Oh.

Well, then nothing to see here, let’s move it along….

Anyway, I know I always wonder about the Distiller’s Editions. They are odd ducks in the whisky world.

First off, you’d think from looking at them they are NAS. But they kinda aren’t. I mean, yeah, it doesn’t say Dalwhinnie Distiller’s Edition 17, however it does say when it was distilled (1991, so grunge, much angst) and when it was bottled.

Also, like some other whiskies, this doesn’t immediately tell you the finish… however most places that sell Distiller’s Editions do put the cask finish in the name, so there’s that.

Alright, so it’s 2 years older and finished in Oloroso Casks. Is it worth the premium?

I mean, Dalwhinnie has been sold, burnt, and passed around more than my ex-girlfriend (the burning means you were intimate with her, and you probably didn’t enjoy it). They have a history behind them, regardless of who their pimp is right now.

So let’s try another Distiller’s Edition, this time Dalwhinnie Distiller’s Edition, because it’s the only time they are let off their leash from poppy Diageo.

Distillery: Dalwhinnie Distillery.

Bottler: Distillery Bottling.

Region: Highland, Scotland.

ABV: 43%.

Age: 18 years. Distilled in 1991. Bottled in 2009.

Cask type: Bourbon Casks then finished in Oloroso Sherry Casks.

Price: N/A in Ontario at the moment.

Color: Dark Gold.

Nose: Tannins, strawberry, lemon, pear, ginger, fresh linen

Starts out with almost a Zinfandel smell to it, however the Dalwhinnie core eventually takes up more room than the sherry cask influence. Probably because it’s only in the sherry for a shorter time than in the main.

Probably.

Taste: Lemon, caramel, light raspberry, nutmeg, cashew, papaya

And then the opposite happens. You have that Highland lemon caramel taste followed by a nutty fruity taste.

Like having dessert in a gay district of the city. Starts out sweet, ends nutty and fruity (in that good Las Vegas way).

Finish: Ginger, leather, gum, papaya again, oregano, arugula, dry

A tiny bit of spice evolves from the taste and ends in the finish. Fruit, leather and vegetal notes. Nothing over the top.

Conclusion: I’d say, if you like your whisky with a sherry finish, buy this over the standard offering. And the reason I say that is because it’s a different beast than the standard in some ways that makes it better to me.

That said, it’s a pretty standard malt. Nothing overtly intense or strong or even subtle to discover. Lemon and Papaya is what it is. They’ve fixed that rough finish, so it’s an improvement.

Final Score: 75.

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

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