Beyond the Stag: Rare Perspectives on Dalmore’s Legacy A Brief History of Dalmore
The Dalmore is one of the most recognisable names in the whisky world and ranks among Scotland's best-selling single malts. Instantly identifiable by its striking bottle design and iconic stag emblem, The Dalmore is famed for its exceptional cask management - particularly its deep affinity for long sherry-cask maturation. This dedication has firmly cemented its reputation as a luxury whisky brand.
Founded in 1839 by Alexander Matheson, Dalmore distillery sits in the Northern Highlands on the banks of the Cromarty Firth. The Matheson family oversaw its early years before the Mackenzie family took over in 1877, continuing its legacy of extended maturation and sourcing high-quality casks, especially ex-sherry casks from Spain.
[Source: Whyte & Mackay]
The 1960s brought big changes for Dalmore, as it merged with drinks company Whyte & Mackay. One of the most significant changes came in 1966, with the expansion of its stills from four to eight. Today, Dalmore is without doubt the prize single malt in the Whyte & Mackay portfolio, however, this was not always the case. The company purchased it from the Mackenzie family in 1960, having long relied on its whisky for their blending. As a result, official distillery bottlings of its single malt were limited to a 12 year old expression.
However, things would soon change. During the Whyte & Mackay era, Richard Paterson arrived and played a pivotal role in elevating Dalmore's status. Under his guidance, the early 2000s saw a surge of high-age statement and limited-edition releases, firmly positioning Dalmore as a premium whisky brand.
While Dalmore’s official bottlings are now synonymous with luxury, independent bottlings can provide a glimpse into different aspects of its spirit, revealing alternative expressions that whisky collectors and connoisseurs find irresistible. For more information about independent bottling, why not read our article ‘What Is An Independent Bottling?’
Dalmore 25 Year Old Whyte and Mackay
One of the standout bottles in our January auction is a special piece of Dalmore history – not an independent bottling, but a very early official release. This incredibly rare 25 year old bottling of Dalmore was distilled prior to 1960—before Whyte & Mackay acquired the distillery—making it a remarkable piece of Dalmore’s history.
Bottled in the mid-to-late 1980s, this expression captures the essence of Dalmore’s character before its production was influenced by Whyte & Mackay’s blending requirements and would have been crafted when the Saladin box (an in-house instrument used for malting barley) was in use at the time. This bottling represents a fascinating intersection between Dalmore’s past and the blending house that would later shape its future.
Independent Bottlers
As we’ve mentioned, independent bottlers play a vital role in whisky appreciation. They are often made by whisky fans for whisky fans and offer unique cask selections that don’t necessarily fit with a distillery’s signature profile, style or long-term strategy. These bottlings allow us to experience Dalmore in a new light, and how its distillate behaves in different wood types, at various ages, as well as at natural cask strength. In contrast to Dalmore’s often heavily sherried and carefully curated releases, the independent bottlings we have in our January auction offer something exceptionally intriguing and exciting for any Dalmore whisky fan!
For those seeking something uncharacteristically different from Dalmore’s official style, independent bottlings offer a fascinating alternative. A great example is the Dalmore 1976 Blackadder 28-Year-Old Raw Cask - a unique cask strength expression rarely seen in Dalmore’s official range. Distilled in 1976 and aged for 28 years, this whisky was one of only 348 bottles released by Blackadder Limited, a highly respected independent bottler. Blackadder has gained great admiration over the years for its Raw Cask series, which is deliberately drawn unfiltered from the cask.
At a slightly lower strength, but equally intriguing, is the Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s Dalmore 1984 bottling. This 23-year-old whisky was bottled in 2006 specifically for the American market and is numbered 13.37 under the SMWS’s unique coding. Interested in learning more about the SMWS? Read our online article, ‘An Independent Approach: Scotch Malt Whisky Society’
For those eager to experience something truly different, the Douglas Laing Dalmore 1976 32 Year Old is sure to impress. One of just 306 bottles, this whisky was distilled in 1976 and matured in a single hogshead before being finished in rum cask #5093. It was then bottled in April 2009 as part of Douglas Laing’s Old Malt Cask series. First introduced in 1999 by Douglas Laing & Co., the Old Malt Cask range has earned a reputation as one of the most revered independent bottling series – showcasing some of the best examples of vintage and well-matured whisky.
Other special independent highlights that showcase older expressions of the distillery include the rare Dalmore 1968 Averys 15 Year Old. This fascinating and lesser-seen independent bottling offers a striking contrast to Dalmore’s official 15 year old release. Bottled by Averys of Bristol, a historic English wine merchant, they have produced a number of well-respected and unique whisky bottlings over the years.
Also featured is the Dalmore 1980 Moon Import / Dovr-Toutes-Mares, a standout from Moon Import’s renowned series of single malts, bottled in 1996 with antique cartography labels.
These exceptional bottlings offer something for every Dalmore enthusiast, whether you’re seeking rare, older expressions or unique age statements. While our auction features an incredible offering of official Dalmore expressions of impressive character that we urge you to explore, we hope this article serves as a reminder to look at more unconventional expressions too. These independent bottlings give you a chance to experience Dalmore in fresh, exciting ways that you won’t find anywhere else.
