A very elusive Speyside distillery, rare to find in official bottlings, Dailuaine actually produces a very interesting and complex whisky. Given the richness and rounded character of the original distillate, only a few months in Pedro Ximenez casks were required to reach perfection, just adding a hint of tropical fruit and farmy notes to an already very intense malt. At the nose it’s very mineral and waxy, with a slightly organic touch of damp earth and wood: a huge “old Highlands” profile, not austere but very traditional. At the palate, again the impression is more Highlands than Speyside, more malty than fruity or winey, with a very robust character of cereals, followed by pepper, mustard and a hint of oaky tannins.