Dalmunach 2016/2023 Coopers Choice 7 years old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 58.5%

Pedro Ximénez is the sweetest sherry there is — so sweet the grapes are dried in the sun first. Laid over seven years of young Speyside spirit, the result turns dark well ahead of time.

Expert description

Dalmunach 2016/2023 Coopers Choice 7 years is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in American oak and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks and bottled at cask strength of 58.5% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

The whisky was distilled in April 2016 and bottled in 2023 from cask number 1145, with an outturn of 396 bottles. The release belongs to the Cooper's Choice range from The Vintage Malt Whisky Company in Glasgow. Dalmunach opened in 2015 and is still so new that every bottling helps draw the picture of what the house style actually is.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark and syrupy. Raisin, date and fig, with dark chocolate, coffee and a young, cereal freshness underneath.

Palate

Dense and sweet. Caramelised sugar, dried fruit and cocoa, with a peppery warmth from the cask strength. The PX cask dominates, but the young spirit pushes back with cereal and malt.

Finish

Long and sweet, with raisin, dark chocolate and a dry spiced close.

Specifications

Name: Dalmunach 2016/2023 Coopers Choice 7 years Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 58,5%
Distillery: Dalmunach
Bottler: The Coopers Choice
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 7 years
ABV: 58.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, cask no. 1145
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: April 2016
Bottled: 2023
Number of bottles: 396
Edition: Single Cask
EAN no.: 5024720862804

Flavour profile

Sherried · Dried Fruit · Chocolate · Sweet · Cask Strength

Investment potential

Medium. A single cask in 396 bottles from a distillery with few releases behind it. Early vintages from new houses tend to become interesting later.

Did you know?

Pedro Ximénez grapes are laid out to dry in the sun before pressing, which is why the sherry turns almost syrupy. A PX cask gives more sweetness and darker fruit than oloroso — but also less of the dry nutty edge.

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Frequently asked questions about Dalmunach 2016/2023 Coopers Choice 7 years

What is the difference between PX and oloroso?

Pedro Ximénez is far sweeter and darker and gives raisin, date and chocolate. Oloroso is drier and moves more towards nuts and spice. PX leaves a stronger mark on a young whisky.

Is seven years young?

Yes, but the PX cask works fast. The whisky already has a dark, syrupy character, and the cask strength carries the young core. There is still cereal and malt to trace under the sweetness.

What kind of distillery is Dalmunach?

One of Scotland's newest, opened in 2015 at Carron in Speyside on the site of the demolished Imperial distillery. The production is modern and heavily automated.

How many bottles exist?

396 bottles from cask number 1145. Cooper's Choice bottles single casks, so the release cannot be repeated.

Should I add water?

At 58.5% a couple of drops can make the sweetness more approachable. Try it neat first, because the texture is a large part of what the PX cask gives.

What is Cooper's Choice?

The Vintage Malt Whisky Company's range of single cask releases from distilleries across Scotland. The Glasgow house has been selecting casks since 1992.