A set of six iconic bottles of single malt whiskies, The Dalmore Decades, has achieved a record sale at Sotheby's Hong Kong auction with $1.
Collectors from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom competed to acquire this collection of six bottles. It's the highest amount ever achieved for a whisky lot at Sotheby's this year and the most valuable ever sold in Asia... the winning bid went to a private Asian collector.
This box of six bottles, The Dalmore Highland Single Malt, spans several decades of visionary creators. It confirms the relentless pursuit of excellence of this distillery. It is also the personal selection of Richard PatersonThis pioneer in the art of barrel conservation has one of the missions of extending the limits of whisky production... optimizing its capacity over the years. Moreover, he declares: " For the past 50 years, I have kept a watchful eye on our extraordinary inventory of rare whiskies, providing the necessary guidance to mature the finest casks from around the world and bring them to their full potential. Each bottle marks a very special milestone in the distillery's history and has a unique story to tell, one that I hope the lucky collector will enjoy with their loved ones—if the past year has taught us anything, it's that life is best enjoyed now. This collection is a memento of our 180-year history in the making. We are proud to share the culmination of six decades of producing time-honored whisky. »
Le Scottish Design Museum and the new Victor & Albert Dundee Museum benefited from a significant percentage of the auction sale. The distillery The Dalmore Highland has recently committed to design and creation by establishing a four-year partnership with the V&A Dundee and the unique collaboration between the luxury single malt whisky and the Scottish Design Museum seeks to promote and encourage creative talent.
Discovering the set of six The Dalmore Decades bottles
The six bottles cover the years 1951, 1967, 1979, 1980, 1995 and 2000.
The Dalmore Decades 1951 – Royal Heritage
This 60-year-old single malt was aged in two sherry casks. As a result, notes of black treacle, ginger spice, and cocoa powder can be detected. This stunning 1951 vintage is one of the oldest whiskies The Dalmore has ever released. It is also the last whisky distilled during the Mackenzie era. The Mackenzie family, founders of the distillery, left a significant legacy, one that allows The Dalmore to display the royal 12-antlered stag on every bottle.
The Dalmore Decades 1967 – Expertise in the service of a spirit
This 53-year-old single malt possesses incredible elegance. It was produced in 1967, the pivotal year that saw the establishment of the distillery as it remains today. It offers intriguing and complex notes of clementine, tangy ground coffee, and muscovado sugar. This is all due to its maturation in a wine barrel from Château Mont-Redon in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
The Dalmore Decades 1979 – exquisite barrel aging
At 40 years old, this whisky pays vibrant homage to the long-standing, exclusive collaboration between Gonzalez Byass, a well-known sherry bodega in Spain, and The Dalmore. The 1979 vintage was matured in a Matusalem Oloroso Sherry cask and finished in a Graham's Port Vintage 1952 cask (one of the rarest Port vintages). The result is an exuberant whisky bursting with sultanas and roasted pistachios. It finishes with delicious notes of maple syrup, pineapple, and succulent dates.
The Dalmore Decades 1980 – The Infinite Experience of Visionaries
The 1980s saw the arrival of Richard Paterson at The Dalmore distillery, the last remaining member of the Mackenzie clan. Richard Paterson continues the long collaboration, like his predecessor. This reflects his strong commitment and total loyalty to the distillery whose history began some 180 years ago. After benefiting from The Dalmore's traditional maturation method, this 40-year-old Single Malt was moved to Matusalem Sherry casks, then five years to age in first-fill ex-Bourbon casks for bottling... a bold decision that brings liveliness to the whisky. The complex blend is magnificent, the 1980 offers a sweet expression of bitter chocolate, marzipan and cocoa powder.
The Dalmore Decades 1995 – The Creation of an Icon
The icon was created in the 1990s with the appearance of The Dalmore's minimalist bell-shaped bottle. The sinuous curves recall the voluptuous shape of the stills used for the unparalleled distillation of whisky. This 1990 whisky is aged in ex-Bourbon casks and then in spectacular Tintilla de Rota Port casks. On the palate, it offers an explosion of red berries, iced nectarines, frangipane, and soft pecan pie… a magnificent finish.
The Dalmore Decades 2000 – Into the New Millennium
The artisans of The Dalmore accomplished a notable feat this Saturday, 1er January 2000, they were at their posts and proudly allowed The Dalmore to be the first distillery in Scotland to create a whisky in the new millennium. Thus, this latest whisky in The Dalmore Decades collection is also the first whisky of the new millennium. The iconic Highland distillery has made a radical departure from usual practices, the 2000 spent 20 years in Olorosso Matusalem Sherry casks. This whisky is highly intriguing and rare, it provides notes of black maraschino cherry and bitter chocolate flooding the palate… the finish reveals notes of liquorice and tarte Tatin. Twenty years were needed to create this unique spirit whose exceptional quality is recognized in a few seconds.
André Tirlet
