The Dalmore Port Wood Reserve
The Dalmore for those who love port. This single malt is finished in tawny port casks after American oak and bottled at 46.5%, the highest strength in the core range. Creamy caramel, sweet plums and a hint of Java coffee, with enough power to take a drop of water.
Port instead of sherry
Where almost every Dalmore gets its character from oloroso sherry casks, the Port Wood Reserve revolves around port. The whisky begins like every Dalmore in American oak and is then finished in casks that previously held tawny port. This wood gives it a different sweetness from sherry: less dried fruit and nuts, more red fruit, plum and creamy caramel.
The second difference is the strength. At 46.5%, Port Wood is the most powerful bottle in the core range, compared with 40% for the 12 and 15 Years. This gives it a fuller mouthfeel and a longer finish. Master blender Richard Paterson himself describes it as a multitude of exotic flavors. No age statement on the label: here, it is about the cask, not the years.
In brief
Caramel, plums and a hint of coffee
Red fruit and caramel
Sweet and creamy, with ripe plums and caramel. The port cask gives the nose a warm, almost wine-like character.
Full and rich
Powerful at 46.5% ABV. Creamy caramel and sweet plums, with a hint of Java coffee that balances the sweetness.
Long and warm
A long, warm finish with coffee and dark fruit. A few drops of water make it creamier and rounder.
Flavor profile of The Dalmore Port Wood Reserve, tasted neat. With water, the intensity softens and the caramel comes forward.
Three ways to drink Port Wood
Because of its higher strength, water here is not a detail but part of the ritual. And the coffee note calls for a cup alongside it.
With a drop of water
Pour 30 ml into a tulip glass, smell and taste it neat. Then add five or six drops of cool water. At 46.5%, the whisky changes noticeably: creamier, sweeter, with more plum.
Glass: tasting glass →Alongside an espresso
Drink it after dinner alongside a small, strong coffee. The Java coffee in the whisky and the real coffee enhance each other, while the caramel works like the sugar cube.
Coffee cocktails →Port Wood Manhattan
50 ml Port Wood, 25 ml sweet vermouth, and two dashes of Angostura, stirred slowly over ice and strained into a chilled coupe. With Scotch whisky, this is technically a Rob Roy; the port cask makes it extra smooth.
To the recipe →Cocktails with a port cask malt
Sweet, fruity whisky pairs well with vermouth and coffee. Use it sparingly: most bottles are best enjoyed neat.
Manhattan
Whisky, sweet vermouth, and bitters. The port cask and vermouth complement each other seamlessly.
Irish Coffee
Hot coffee, sugar, whisky, and cream. With the Port Wood, it's a Scottish version with caramel.
Old Fashioned
Whisky, sugar, and bitters. At 46.5%, the flavour holds up even as the ice melts.
Coffee cocktails
All cocktails with coffee, from Irish Coffee to Espresso Martini.The right glass for the Port Wood Reserve
A tulip-shaped tasting glass for drinking neat and with water, a coupe for the Manhattan, and an Irish coffee glass for the hot coffee version.
More flavours from The Dalmore
The Dalmore
Where it all began. On the brand page, you can read everything about The Dalmore: its origins, varieties, and classic cocktails.
To The Dalmore →
The Dalmore 12 Years Sherry Cask Select
The 12 finished in three Andalusian sherry casks, at 43%. Richer, sweeter and deeper than the standard 12.
View The Dalmore 12 Years Sherry Cask Select →
The Dalmore 15 Years
Twelve years in American oak, three years in three sherry casks. Full-bodied and velvety, with dried fruit, cinnamon and chocolate.
View The Dalmore 15 Years →
The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve
Bourbon, Matusalem oloroso and Cabernet Sauvignon casks. Full-bodied and rich, with sherry, vanilla and caramel: made to accompany a cigar.
View The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve →
The Dalmore King Alexander III
Bourbon, Matusalem oloroso, Marsala, Madeira, port and Cabernet Sauvignon. Complex and fruity: a whisky to explore at your leisure.
View The Dalmore King Alexander III →Everything about whisky: the types, the best-known brands and the cocktails.
Questions about The Dalmore Port Wood Reserve
Can't find your question here? Read more on the page about The Dalmore or explore our cocktail recipes.
Everything about The Dalmore →