Mmmm, scotch scotchy scotch…
During a recent restocking trip to the Class Six, I had a hankering to try a new Scotch. I selected Dalwhinnie 15 year, a Highland single malt from one of the coldest and highest regions in all of Scotland. Highlands aren’t my favorite variety as a general rule, but I do maintain a certain affinity for them, since they were how I was introduced to the wonders of Single Malt all those years ago.
It might sound funny, but the best way I can describe Dalwhinnie is that it’s a very Scotchy Scotch. It’s not particularly smooth or polite up front (like The Balvenie), but it maintains its character throughout, not falling on its face in any one area. I will say that, as Highlands go, this one is gentler than most, although the finish maintains a smoky intensity for what seems like a long time. It lacks the fascinating complexity of Royal Lochnagar, but that’s a rather high bar to meet, now isn’t it?
It’s not an every day whisky by any stretch, but when the mood calls for a dram of a solid Highlands spirit, Dalwhinnie fits the bill.