Dalmore Cigar Malt 2. Edition Single Highland Malt Whisky 44%

There are not many whiskies built to be drunk alongside something else. Cigar Malt is one of them — made to hold its ground against the smoke of a cigar.

Expert description

Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 44%.

The whisky is assembled from selected casks aged roughly ten to fifteen years and is deliberately bottled a little stronger than the rest of the house range. The point is that it should stand up to the weight of tobacco without disappearing. This release is Version No. 2 of Cigar Malt, which Dalmore revived after a pause. The distillery at Alness has worked with sherry casks since the nineteenth century, and it is that same dark, concentrated style underneath.

Tasting notes

Nose

Powerful and dark. Raisin, orange marmalade and dark chocolate, with cinnamon, clove and a warm note of tobacco and leather.

Palate

Full and dense. Dried fruit, caramel and spice, with an oily texture and a dry oak edge. The 44% gives extra weight compared with the house 40% releases.

Finish

Long and warm, with spice, dark fruit and a dry, almost tobacco-like close.

Specifications

Name: Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve Single Highland Malt Whisky 44%
Distillery: The Dalmore
Region/Country: Highlands Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 44 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American white oak, oloroso sherry casks and Cabernet Sauvignon casks
Edition: Cigar Malt Reserve Version No. 2
EAN no.: 5013967008427

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dried Fruit · Spiced · Tobacco · Full-bodied

Did you know?

The original Cigar Malt was discontinued in the mid-2000s and missed enough that Dalmore brought the name back in 2012. It is rare for a distillery to revive a discontinued bottling — but the demand from cigar bars would not go away.

See our full range of Dalmore Whisky

Frequently asked questions about Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve

Why is it called Cigar Malt?

Because it is assembled to be drunk alongside a cigar. The weight of tobacco drowns many whiskies, and Cigar Malt is bottled stronger and more sherried to hold its ground.

Do you have to smoke to enjoy it?

No. It works perfectly well on its own as a full, sherried Highland malt. The cigar is an occasion, not a condition.

Why 44 percent?

Because the extra strength gives more weight in the mouth. Dalmore bottles most of its releases at 40 or 43%, and the extra points here are a deliberate choice for the purpose.

What does no age statement mean?

That the whisky is assembled from casks of different ages, chosen by flavour rather than by years. Here the selected casks sit at roughly ten to fifteen years.

What food goes with it?

High-percentage dark chocolate or a robust blue cheese. The dried fruit and spice cope well with rich and salty food.

What defines Dalmore?

A heavy, sherried Highland style with dried fruit and orange as recurring notes. See the rest of the region in our Highland Whisky.