Dalwhinnie 15 yo (Rock you gently)

My cousin FY was kind enough to give me this bottle. I've tasted Dalwhinnie 15 yo before, at FM's tasting party, but it was great to have the chance to enjoy a whole bottle and really explore what this whisky had to offer (Answer: quite a lot!).

It's a Highlander, which in my mind usually equates to big bold flavours. However, I found this particular expression to be quite restrained, not very 'bouncy', but jiggling / rocking just a little, if that makes sense. It was best enjoyed when I was in a reflective mood. Which just goes to show how much variety there is in the world of whisky, and how little I know.

Anyway, we'll start with the usual tasting notes:

Dalwhinnie 15 yo (OB)
Single malt - Highlands
Golden
43% ABV

Nose: Sherry, beer, coconut, salted butter, vanilla and mint. Some very slight smokiness.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens in the mouth. Egg white, mouth coating.
Tasting: Sweet. Cookie dough, vanilla, sherry, cream. Hints of smoke and tobacco leaf.
Finish: Medium length. Peanuts, some tamarind, slightly astringent.

I found this whisky interesting because it lacked barley. It was very subdued, and so I thought: why not add back some cereal flavours? So I'm going to try this whisky in combination with breakfast cereals. Early drinking? Why not.

1. Marks and Spencer Deliciously Nutty Crunch

The Pretty Lady eats this for breakfast most days (I'm not a regular cereal eater, as I miss my 2 thosais, coconut chutney and lamb curry with coffee made with fresh milk - best breakfast in the world). Anyway, the toffee and caramel in the cereal stand out, and all of a sudden it tastes like granola. The whisky has enhanced the oat and nut flavours, with a big hit of cream. Raisins too, where there were none before. The influence of the oak is more apparent.

2. Honey Loops

Oof. Cardboard, brown paper, marker pen. Lots of rice and wheat notes from the loops, but there's precious little else. Not even honey. The non-food smells and flavours aren't very enticing, although on occasion I do find them interesting when tasting whiskies. Not with my breakfast cereal though.

3. Cocoa Pops Mega Munchers

My favourite cereal as a kid. Not that mum let me eat a lot of it. Coffee, cocoa notes (not surprising). The whisky becomes medicinal, iodine-laden stuff. Bitter and herbal, but some pear flavours do appear. Not a great combination - I miss the sweetness of the whisky here.

4. Kellogg's Frosties

My second favourite cereal, and something mum let me eat a little bit more of growing up. The cookie dough notes in the whisky metamorphose to bubble gum and cotton candy. Lots of artificial strawberry and grape flavours. Like a visit to a fairground. Some oaty notes do appear in the whisky.


The Marks and Spencer's cereal takes the prize by a long way. I think the lesson is that Dalwhinnie 15 yo needs nuts (probably unsalted) to be enjoyed properly. I look forward to working my way through the rest of my bottle with some walnuts or almonds.