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Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old

Gentle Spirit; Dangerous Ground

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@VictorReview by @Victor

18th Nov 2014

0

Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old
  • Nose
    21
  • Taste
    21
  • Finish
    20
  • Balance
    21
  • Overall
    83

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

"The Gentle Spirit" as it calls itself on the bottle, polarises in these parts, partly because Jim Murray rated it at 95 pts, and no one else seems to understand why. I was amazed when I discovered that I had not yet reviewed Dalwhinnie 15. The reviewed bottle is 2/3rds full and has been open for 3 1/2 years

Nose: malty, with citrus fruit around the edges, a little grape, noticeable vanilla, and a little apple and pear. The balance is ok, skewing a little bit to the sour

Taste: translates the nose flavours pretty faithfully, which for some is not such a good thing. I've always found this bottle to be pleasant enough, mild, and enjoyable enough, but certainly one of the most understated malts in terms of intensity of flavour. That sour note has for several commentators seemed reminiscent of "baby puke". I know which flavour they are identifying in Dalwhinnie 15...but happily my gustatory and olfactory apparati do not deliver to me that same charming impression. If they did I would not ever drink Dalwhinnie 15

Finish: medium length, some initial sweetness, then moving more toward the sour and dry

Balance: mild flavours, vague flavours, potentially offensive flavours, what's not to dislike? Dalwhinnie 15 is pretty neutral and subtle to the point of being nothing-y, and what is there people often dislike

Well, all of that said, I've always liked Dalwhinnie 15 ok for what it is, mild fare, unadorned malty fare, and because I never noticed "baby puke" in it. That said, "The Gentle Spirit" has not moved me to drink more than 1/3 of this bottle over 3 1/2 years time

(No water for me for 43% abv whisky)

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6 comments

@hunggar
hunggar commented

Nice write-up, @Victor. I, like many others, am not sold on this one. The only bottle I ever bought lasted no more than about 4 months. What, if any, differences have you noticed over the past few years?

10 years ago 0

@Victor
Victor commented

@hunggar, thanks for dropping by. The bottle was tighter/more finely edged with its flavours in the first year or so, as is often the case with whiskies. Fruit flavours and sourness have emerged a little more strongly over time. I liked the crisp quality it had in the earlier phases.

After doing the review, I did notice a bit left in my glass after an hour and decided to drink it. That long-aired sample was the closest I've come to the "baby puke" experience. Not good. All things considered, I think that you were wise to finish off your bottle in four months time.

10 years ago 0

r
ricko commented

Ralfy Likes it a lot too. He gaves 90/100...

10 years ago 0

@Georgy
Georgy commented

@Victor Interesting review, Victor! That sour component on the nose you talk about reminded me a lot of white wine acidity as in some Sauvignone Blancs! Just reviewed a bottle of this Dalwhinnie and then realized that here at Connosr people don't seem to like it all that much. I believe it has to do with the fact that this whisky is way too delicate overall. Delicate, subtle aromas, fruity taste and finish. The lovely thing about it which deserves a high mark, in my opinion, is its well-balanced, nicely matured nature. I believe it is meant to be very light and, as I mention in the review, Irish-ish. And, in my opinion, for a light refreshing malt with some above average complexity and well-rounded nature, it is a delightful summer's malt.

8 years ago 0

@Victor
Victor commented

@Georgy, thanks for stopping by. Certainly my bottle of Dalwhinnie 15 was much more enjoyable in the early months it was open. Mostly the flavours were more well-defined in the early period, which is to say, the delicate flavours were noticeable, and not fading off into a big amorphous blur, as they tended to do later. If I had another bottle of it I would finish the bottle or decant it within the first six months after it was open. A lot of air exposure is very unkind to many of the more delicate low-ABV whiskies.

8 years ago 0

@Georgy
Georgy commented

@Victor Thank you very much for the heads-up!

8 years ago 0