After visiting 4 Speyside distilleries in the first part of this series, I’m now paying my full and undivided attention to the other 4 whiskies in Dràm Mòr’s latest release. So fetch yourself a drink and lean back, as we’re visiting Deanston, Tomatin, Ben Nevis and Invergordon. If you want to read more about Dràm Mòr, I introduced them a bit in yesterday’s post and in the archive section you can find my reviews of their previous releases as well as an extended interview I did with Kenny MacDonald last year.
Dràm Mòr Deanston 9 yo (2012-2021, 54.1% ABV, cask 95, refill bourbon hogshead finished in a 1st fill Malvasia Madeira cask, 274 bottles)
OK, 1st things first: the name Malvasia Madeira may not seem overly familiar to some (many?) of you, but a quick google search tells me that it’s Madeira wine (no shit, Sherlock) made from the Malvasia grape variety, which is the sweetest grape variety used for producing Madeira wine, containing more than double the residual sugar found in other Madeira types. Another cool fun fact is that it also retains its acidity while developing sugars, which allows it to be very long-lived. Needless to say, this Madeira in particular is often enjoyed as a dessert wine. So now you’re up to speed, let’s find out if this Deanston comes with a bomb of sweetness as well.
On the nose it’s buttery, floral-grassy with a heathery touch. Quite delicate with a clear lemon note (lemon peel and even lemon sorbet). Underneath I picked up a hint of cookie dough. Give it enough time and it builds up some muscle as it becomes more robust with a syrupy, dark wine note. Adding a drop of water and suddenly there’s a bag of oranges and orange marmalade.
On the palate the first thing I noticed was the waxy mouthfeel, a signature Deanston characteristic. Here the Madeira cask makes it mark from the start as it’s dominated by treacle, liquorice and toffee, with lighter, more subtle herbal and herbaceous notes like parsley, with raisin like sweetness balancing things out in the background. Over time and with water a distinctive linseed oil note comes through.
The finish is long and oily, turning dry towards the end, slowly fading out on notes of liquorice and light honey sweetness.
In my experience, Deanston has the ability to shine at a relatively young age and this is no exception. Plenty of character without ever becoming ‘in your face’, with a very interesting complexity and development from nose to finish. By no means overly sweet (which you might expect looking at the Madeira cask finish), this is just a very well made, rounded whisky.
Onwards and westward, to the foot of Scotland’s highest peak…
Ben Nevis 8 yo (56.7% ABV, cask 137, refill bourbon hogshead finished in 1st fill Palo Cortado sherry cask, 319 bottles).
Ah, Ben Nevis, a bit of a darling distillery. The official 10 yo is easily one of my favourite expressions out there (if you can find the bugger, that is) with its old school, heavy hitting, beefy style of Highland Malt. Although I struggled to find any of that on the nose. Instead I picked up rock candy mixed in with salty, herbal-vegetal notes. With a bit of patience, a soft wood note and a gentle honey sweetness shine through.
On the palate it comes in quite hefty with a big arrival where the ABV is letting itself known. Mineral notes (iron even), salted butter on toast, something nutty, earthy, fungi-savoury combined with a soft, delicate sweetness from the Palo Cortado cask. A drop of water and notes of salted caramel chocolate join the party.
The finish is quite long, driven by spices and herbaceous notes, dying out on a salty sweetness from vanilla an honey.
Interesting, atypical Ben Nevis, this is youthful and playful, and while it has some of the signature savoury character from Ben Nevis, this is miles away from the big and bold official 10 yo.
From the western Highlands, let's move north towards Inverness…
Dràm Mòr Tomatin 10 yo (53.1% ABV, cask 150, refill bourbon hogshead finished in 1st fill white port cask, 178 bottles)
On the nose there’s an atypical sweetness from citrus and something overly ripe or even decaying, leaning in towards wet autumn leaves. Vanilla and icing sugar, orange marmalade and fresh buttered hot toast with a slightly prickly note from the ABV. With a drop of water added, I picked up notes of Jaffa cake and a floral- grassy sweetness.
The palate comes in with a bit of an alcoholic nip. It’s slightly nutty and there are subdued hints of oranges and citrus. Here the added water really helps to open things up: caramel, icing sugar and sweet breakfast cereal with a milk chocolate note. Everything remains calm however, there’s nothing jumping out and screaming for attention, but it does put you to work to find out what’s going on.
The finish is peppery, drying and mouth coating with a salinity that lingers on.
Like the Tomintoul in the previous review, this one leaves me searching and puzzling a bit as I can’t but feel like there’s something I’m missing or can’t quite put my finger on. It may be finished in a port cask like Tomatin’s official 14 yo release, and while both are indeed gentle, easy going, not overly complex whiskies, this is, very much so, a different, interesting take on a port cask finished whisky.
The only way is north: let’s end with a well matured single grain.
Dràm Mòr Invergordon 24 yo (54.1% ABV, cask 300250, refill bourbon barrel, 196 bottles)
Ending this series with a single grain. Invergordon is, if I’m not mistaken, Scotland’s northernmost grain distillery and, as most of the grain distilleries can be found in the Lowlands, one of few to be found in the Highlands (the other one being Cameronbridge, which is very nearly a Lowland distillery in any case). Founded in 1960, This is a bulk producing plant cranking out some 40 mio LPA. Owned by Whyte & Mackay since the 1990’ies, it’s conveniently located not far away from Dalmore. Coming in with a 24 yo age statement, this is already ticking a lot of the right boxes in my book as it’s been matured in a refill bourbon barrel.
On the nose it’s vanilla and honey straight off the bat. Citrus (orange zest), orchard fruit and melon, with a beeswax touch. Over time, notes of sweet berries (strawberry and raspberry) join in. Very, very pleasant nose, with an excellent balance.
On the palate the first thing that springs to mind, is French toast. There’s vanilla sugar, lovely buttery cereal and salted caramel with just a soft wood note from the quiet cask to prevent things from becoming overly sweet.
On the finish it’s drying with a bit of a peppery note, soft sweetness and again a nice salinity.
The development on this from nose to finish is absolutely wonderful. It’s not what you’d call a complex whisky, but this is just so very, very pleasant and rewarding. Excellent balance, very elegant and quite simply a joy to nose and sip. You beauty, you!
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