Review #41: Dalwhinnie Single Highland Malt 15yr, 43% abv

the Classic Malt with the dumpy bottle

I like the dumpy bottle. This is one of the original Diageo "Classic Malts," representing the not-Western Highlands, I guess. The new shelf talkers don't say "Highlands," though -- I think they have adjectives ("light and fruity"? "approachable and unscary"?). I have a completely vacuous attachment to this one because there was once a place where I ordered from the whisky list, but didn't know what I was doing; so on successive visits I went through more or less in alphabetical order. Made it as far as Dalwhinnie, about which I remember nothing.

The nose is nice -- like Clynelish, there's some honey and wax and a surprising amount of peat smoke. Apples and some sour yoghurt in the background. Ripe pears and wool.

Very creamy on the palate, and then the tart green fruit comes, and then bitterness. Oak, I guess. It all works well together. The finish holds up pretty well for 43% -- creamy and chewy.

This is pretty good! Nothing awe-inspiring -- and rather too light -- but it's flavorful for a standard bottling. Pleasant and non-boring.

score: 82