The 2003 Vintage has been initially matured in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels, followed by an enrichment in rare Rivesaltes wine barrels, Matusalem and Amoroso sherry barrels and small batch bourbon casks.

Tasting Notes:

Colour: Amber.

Nose: Manuga honey, dark toffee and drilled vanilla pods.

Taste: Warm honey, maple syrup and dark fruit.

Finish: Honey, old-fashioned English marmalade and sweet spices.

Tasting notes Serge Valentin (WhiskyFun.com) 90/100

A little more wood sorcery here, as the casks have first been matured in refill and new American oak, then finished separately in Rivesaltes (Vin Doux Naturel, a.k.a. VDN), Matusalem sherry, Amoroso sherry (so basically cream) and ex-bourbon, before being blended away by Dalmore's… err, blenders. Phew! Dalmore have previously bottled several other 2003s.

Colour: gold.

Nose: even less on sherry, and consequently, more on American oak, including fresh vanilla, guavas and bananas, with whiffs of cut pinewood in the background, as well as balsa, cedar, old-style ointments, then camphor and sauna oils. We're no experts in sauna oils, I should add. In any case, this is much less sherry-driven than the 21, which, in turn, was less sherry-drive, than earlier middle-aged Ds..

Mouth: the palate mirrors the nose, with similar pinewoody and chartreuse-y notes, nougat, thin mints, chestnut honey, then the expected chocolate and marmalade combo. Good nervousness here, you don't need to be buried in an old leather armchair to enjoy this one.

Finish: medium, a tad jammier, with some lovely crystallised herbs and roots, not quite ginger, rather angelica.

Comments: an invigorating and complex Dalmore within which the Rivesaltes and the cream sherry have been keeping a low profile, for more zing. Love it (and the price is almost half of that of the 21).