Dalmunach 2016/2024 Coopers Choice 8 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky 57,5%

Marsala comes from Sicily and is almost never used for whisky. That is exactly why a bottler like Cooper's Choice tries it — and why the bottle tastes unlike its neighbour on the shelf.

Expert description

Dalmunach 2016/2024 Coopers Choice 8 years is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in American oak with a final finish in Marsala wine casks and bottled at cask strength of 57.5% without chill filtration and without added colouring.

The whisky was distilled in April 2016 and bottled in 2024, with an outturn of 324 bottles. Marsala is a Sicilian fortified wine, far less used in whisky than sherry and port — it gives a nutty, lightly bitter fruit character unlike anything else. Dalmunach opened in 2015 and is among Scotland's youngest distilleries.

Tasting notes

Nose

Nuts and dried fruit first. Apricot, almond and orange peel, with a warm spiced note and young, cereal freshness underneath.

Palate

Full and lightly bitter in the good sense. Nuts, dried apricot and caramel, with a dry fruit edge from the Marsala cask and a peppery warmth from the strength.

Finish

Long and dry, with nuts, spice and a faintly bitter fruit close.

Specifications

Name: Dalmunach 2016/2024 Coopers Choice 8 years Single Malt Scotch Whisky 57,5%
Distillery: Dalmunach
Bottler: The Coopers Choice
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 57.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: American oak with a Marsala wine cask finish
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: April 2016
Bottled: 2024
Number of bottles: 324
Edition: Single Cask
EAN no.: 5024720863283

Flavour profile

Nutty · Dried Fruit · Spiced · Fruity · Cask Strength

Investment potential

Medium. An unusual cask type in 324 bottles from a young distillery. Marsala finishes are rare enough to be remembered.

Did you know?

Marsala was originally created by an English merchant in the 1770s, who added alcohol to Sicilian wine so it would survive the voyage home. The same trick as port and Madeira — and the three cask types behave in related ways in whisky.

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Frequently asked questions about Dalmunach 2016/2024 Coopers Choice 8 years

What is Marsala?

A Sicilian fortified wine, with alcohol added during production. In whisky, Marsala casks give a nutty, lightly bitter fruit character that differs clearly from sherry and port.

Why are Marsala casks rarely used?

Because they are far harder to source than sherry and port casks, and because the effect is less predictable. That makes them interesting to independent bottlers looking for something different.

How does it differ from the PX version from the same year?

Markedly. The PX cask gives dark, syrupy sweetness, while Marsala pulls towards nuts, apricot and a dry fruit edge. Same spirit, two entirely different directions.

How many bottles exist?

324 bottles. Cooper's Choice bottles single casks, so the release cannot be made again.

Should I add water?

At 57.5% a couple of drops can loosen the nuts and fruit. Taste it neat first so you can feel how much the Marsala cask actually contributes.

What defines Speyside whisky?

Fruit, malt and soft sweetness rather than smoke. Dalmunach is still so new that the house style is developing. See the rest of the region in our Speyside Whisky.