Michael Hepworth
Beverly Hills,CA(Spiritsman)10/27/13/–We got the chance at DFW to meet up with renowned French chef Daniel Boulud at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills to find out about his brand new association with Dalmore Whisky and the release of his Dalmore Special Blend Single Malt Whisky.
According to him, the Michelin Star Chef is the first of his kind to team up with a Whisky Distiller, and after a detailed two year process the result is a blend of Port, Madeira and Muscatel, that has already been wowing the customers at his New York restaurants at $50 a shot.
With six restaurants alone in New York, the Lyon born chef has a flagship restaurant called DANIEL has been voted one of the ten best restaurants in the world. He has won three James Beard Foundation awards and has also received the Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur accolade.
Even though Daniel was very instrumental in the selection of the blends for a six month period, he was certainly keen to point out that the final decision was made by Dalmore Master Distiller Richard Paterson. The blend features 15% Port with the balance equally split between the Madeira and Muscatel with a maximum age of 23 years. Retailing at $200 a bottle this seems like a solid investment opportunity as well as a great sipping whisky, since only 1,000 bottles will be released exclusively in he USA. If you are based in Los Angeles like we are, you might want to rush over to Wally’s Liquor and Spirits in Westwood.
Alcohol content is at 44% and the aroma is one of Tarte tatin, caramelized orange and rich praline. Palate consists of moist banana, Czar Plums and pear, and the finish lingers on the palate with a touch of Turkish delight and black maraschino cherries.
The history of Dalmore is an interesting one and dates back to 1263 when an ancestor of Clan Mackenzie saved King Alexander 111 from being gored by a stag while hunting.
The King granted the Mackenzie’s the right to bear a stags head, with twelve points to its antlers, signifying a ‘Royal’, in their coat of arms. The Dalmore distillery was owned for many years by the Mackenzie family, and every bottle of single malt whisky produced bears that emblem.
The distillery is located in the Scottish Highlands about thirty miles north of Inverness on the northern shores of the Firth of Cromarty and started producing whisky in 1839.
Like all Scottish whisky producers, they take advantage of the natural resources close by. Dalmore utilize the waters of Loch Morie and the golden barley from the coastal soils of the Black Isle. The distillery is located at sea level and faces the sea, which in the salt air provides the perfect environment for maturation in wood casks.
The plant houses four wash stills and four spirit stills all varying shape and size. Twelve craftsmen oversee the operation which uses bourbon barrels from Kentucky and sherry casks from the house of Gonzalez Byass.
After maturation, the Master Distiller takes over and lets the whisky harmonize in sherry butts. Some expressions get the final touch and are finessed in an additional cask before bottling.
Other whisky’s available from Dalmore include the Dalmore 12, Dalmore 15, Cigar Malt Reserve, Dalmore 18 and the King Alexander 111. There is also the opportunity to become a Dalmore Custodian, a private club that you can join through the web site.
Michael Hepworth
287 S.Robertson Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
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