Attending a whiskey tasting should be on your to-do list, no matter if you love or hate the liquor. I had a great opportunity to attend a tasting event of The Dalmore, the world’s most expensive whiskey. I had never been to an official tasting, especially one like this. Upon arriving to the event at Pappas Bro, my guests and I were escorted to the wine cellar where all the magic would happen. The second I entered the room, I was overcome by the spell of whisky. It was overwhelming to say the least.
Our tables were set meticulously with name tags, cigar/flask case, reading material, and our first glass of whiskey, The Dalmore 12. Shortly after arriving Richard Paterson, the master distiller for The Dalmore, introduced himself and spoke about his company. Mr. Paterson comes from a long line of whiskey blenders, both his father and grandfather were whiskey blenders before him. He made the room light up when he spoke, his smooth words, knowledge and history of the whiskey was intriguing and kept the rooms attention. How can you not like a guy who described his whiskey “like Cindy Crawford walking into your bedroom with a negligee on.”
After Mr. Paterson spoke, we started our dinner. Our dinner was divine. Each entree was paired perfectly with a different whiskey.
Poached salmon paired with The Dalmore 15. Delivering the perfect balance between spirit, wood and maturity, The Dalmore 15 Year Old is the mainstay of the Distillery’s range of malts. It has been crafted from wood infused with three rare Sherries from world-renowned Gonzalez-Byass—Apostoles, Amoroso and Matusalem—to achieve a deeply mellow whisky.
Gremolata crusted lamb loin served with The Dalmore 18. Blended in the inimitable Dalmore style, combining primary aging in American White oak with finishing in sherry casks, this expression strikes the perfect balance between a forceful youth and the elegance of age.
Wild mushroom in phyllo served with Dalmore Gran Reserva. The Gran Reserva offers a lively, youthful expression of malt whisky derived from the combination of 60 percent sherry wood and 40 percent American white oak-aged malts ranging from 10 to 15 years of age. The sherry cask proportion is increased to around 60 percent, delivering an intense citrus and spicy experience with balancing sweet, vanilla finish.
Molten Chocolate Cake with Dalmore 1263 King Alexander III. The Dalmore 1263 King Alexander III makes the ultimate case for wood finishing of malts with its six different styles of casks specially selected and meticulously combined by Paterson. Aged Oloroso and Madeira provide a backbone of crushed almonds and rich, citrus fruit flavors. Port and marsala casks add hints of wild berries and fleshy ripe plums, while the Bourbon barrels come across as vanilla and creamy caramel accents. The Cabernet Sauvignon barriques add just a touch of elegance to complete the blend.
As you can imagine, each course was better than the one before it. The Dalmore tastings didn’t stop and neither did Mr. Paterson. Between each course he would stand in front of all of his guests and put on a show. He spoke about the history of the Dalmore, the tastings and proper ways to smell the whiskey – which I was horrible at.
I couldn’t have asked for a better night; the dinner was delicious, the whiskey was exquisite and the company at my table was lively (or maybe it was from all the whiskey they had been drinking). To end the night I had to get a picture with Mr. Richard Paterson himself. Next time he is in town, you must sign up for one of his tastings, you won’t be disappointed.
To view more pictures, go to the Dallas Socials Facebook Page.
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