The Dalmore Unveils The Cask Curation Series Sherry Edition

Since 1839, the legendary malt maker The Dalmore has perfected the art of distillation.

This story is brought to you in partnership with The Dalmore.

Scotch is required, by law, to be distilled and fully matured in Scotland. Indeed, this idyllic ingle of earth has been specializing in the process for over 500 years. Nevertheless, crafting world-class whisky is actually a global enterprise. It insists upon artisans working together in tandem, often across international borders, refining their respective puzzle pieces to arrive at a liquid far greater than the sum of its parts.

The Dalmore embraces this ethos like no other. Since its founding in 1839, the legendary malt maker has perfected the art of distillation, relying exclusively on the natural bounty of its Highland home: pristine freshwater and prized Scottish-sown barley. But that’s merely the start of the journey. Any scotch’s story concludes in the cask. It’s where the liquid develops the majority of its wondrous complexities. And for The Dalmore it means sourcing only the finest seasoned oak—from the sherry bodegas of Jerez, Spain, to the wooden rickhouses of Kentucky bourbon country.

Since the 19th century, these uncompromising vessels of maturation have arrived, fresh from the boat, to the door of The Dalmore, alongside the banks of the Cromarty Firth. Here, at that precise junction, exceptional scotch is patiently polished through the ages; an enduring partnership between wood and whisky. Now The Dalmore has introduced a way to highlight that alchemy like never before.

The Dalmore’s Cask Curation Series is a celebration of the brand’s lasting relationships with some of the world’s finest craftspeople. It underscores the global influences of the iconic single malt, by honing in on a unique component from the international spice rack. Each set in the ongoing collection comprises three extraordinary aged-statement whiskies, finished in casks accrued from one of the brand’s most prized partners.

It launched in October with The Sherry Edition, a precious triptych of 26-, 28- and 43-year old scotch, shaped by the storied wine casks of González Byass. The Dalmore has enjoyed a special bond with the fifth-generation family bodega for over a century. They worked hand-in-hand to deliver this one-of-a-kind luxury set, affording unprecedented access to the most precious of barrel stock.

The full spectrum of the sherry flavor wheel is expressed, as a result, with flavors ranging from sun-kissed raisins and Seville orange, to stewed plums, treacle and Christmas Cake. It’s all presented in befitting luxury: a bespoke leather-finished travel case, hand-crafted in Florence.

“We designed the Cask Curation Series to delight drinkers and collectors alike while telling the unique story of our relationships with the finest wineries and bodegas in the world,” explains Gerry Tosh, Rare Whisky Director at The Dalmore. “Whoever is lucky enough to get their hands on a set is the owner of something truly special!”

And there’s the rub. Not everybody is lucky enough to get their hands on something so special. The meticulous nature of its assembly meant that only 150 sets of The Cask Curation Sherry Edition could ever come to life. A global cadre of collectors and scotch enthusiasts hardly hesitated to gobble them up within hours of release. It was hardly an unexpected outcome. The Dalmore exists as one of the preeminent luxury brands in the modern era. To wit, many of the most renowned spirits sold throughout the 21st century have worn its mark: a duo of 62-year-old bottlings fetched £266,200 each in 2020—more than double their estimated sale price. A year later The Dalmore Decades set a new auction record, £830,000 for a set of six vintage single malts spanning 1951 to 2000.

Suddenly the £30,000 asking price for the Cask Curation Series Sherry Edition seems like the bargain of a lifetime. If you missed out on the opportunity, the good news is that The Dalmore actually maintains a Private Client Team, wholly dedicated to collectors determined to obtain the unobtainable.

“Our purpose is to offer clients access to some of the finest single malts in the world—liquid that defines rarity,” says Tosh. “Whether that be a never-before-seen bottle, a hard-to-find collection or even a mature cask, we specialize in the realm of old and rare whiskies.”

True luxury brands maintain strong, direct relationships with their most passionate, loyal admirers. And The Dalmore continually delivers them liquids worthy of that passion and loyalty. It’s a distillery with an unparalleled past and an impossibly promising future.