Whisky Focus - The Dalmore Red Wine Cask Edition Cask Curation Series

Highland Single Malt The Dalmore has unveiled the third release in its Cask Curation Series — The Red Wine Cask Edition.

First launched in 2023, the Cask Curation Series was conceived to honour The Dalmore’s pioneering spirit in cask maturation, a legacy that dates back to 1868. The distillery’s deep respect for the cask lies at the heart of its philosophy, as each spirit is nurtured through an intricate journey between rare casks, enriching every drop and creating the signature depth, complexity, and finesse that define The Dalmore.

Through partnerships with some of the world’s most distinguished wineries and bodegas, The Dalmore continues to elevate whisky-making artistry. The Cask Curation Series pays tribute to these exceptional casks, the spirit of exploration they represent, and the master craftsmanship that transforms them into extraordinary whiskies.

For this latest chapter, The Dalmore turns to France — and to the renowned Châteauneuf-du-Pape region, a long-standing favourite among its whisky makers.

Situated in the Rhône Valley of southeastern France, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is celebrated for producing some of the world’s most characterful wines — rich, plummy, and layered. With time, these wines develop savoury and jammy notes, culminating in a beautifully mature finish.

It is precisely these flavour characteristics that The Dalmore sought to explore in this edition — to reveal how the depth and intensity of these red wines can harmonize with and enhance The Dalmore’s robust new-make spirit.

Working hand in hand with Château Mont-Redon and fourth-generation winemaker Pierre Fabre, The Dalmore secured access to the freshest Châteauneuf-du-Pape casks. Château Mont-Redon’s celebrated red wine is composed primarily of Grenache Noir (57%), with Syrah (33%), Mourvèdre (9%), and small amounts of other varietals such as Cinsault and Vaccarèse.

To highlight the influence of these special casks, The Dalmore used the same 2023 Château Mont-Redon red wine casks to finish each of the three whiskies in the collection — offering a rare opportunity to experience how these casks shape flavour across three distinct ages: 24, 34, and 43 years old.

Each expression is bottled at natural colour and non-chill filtered:

• The Dalmore Cask Curation Series: The Red Wine Cask Edition – Aged 24 Year Old (40.7% ABV) offers aromas of rich honey, sweet citrus, and orchard fruit with subtle spice. The palate reveals red berries, crème brûlée, orange zest, and dark toffee, finishing with notes of mandarin, roasted coffee, and gentle exotic spices.
   
• The Dalmore Cask Curation Series: The Red Wine Cask Edition – Aged 34 Year Old (40.5% ABV) introduces delicate floral tones with forest fruits, vanilla, and Seville orange. The palate brings rich dark berries, stone fruits, and vanilla, while the finish lingers with honey, white chocolate, and a touch of liquorice, underscored by a gentle wood spice throughout.
   
• The Dalmore Cask Curation Series: The Red Wine Cask Edition – Aged 43 Years (40.3% ABV) the oldest in the set, opens with aromas of dried fruit, orange marmalade, manuka honey, and antique leather. On the palate, forest berries and dark chocolate intertwine with honeyed mango and warming spice, leading to a finish of dark fruit, cocoa, espresso, and aged oak.

These three whiskies are presented together in a handcrafted presentation case, with only 150 sets available worldwide from 1st October 2025, priced at £36,100 / $44,450.

Each edition in the Cask Curation Series celebrates the spirit of travel, inspired by the long journeys the casks undertake from their native wineries and bodegas. This year’s bespoke carry case, created by Italian artisans AB Florence, doubles as a display case and is finished in striking lapis blue — a hue inspired by the grapes of the Rhône and paying homage to both the French and Rhône-Alpes flags.

Following the success of the first two chapters — The Sherry Edition (2023) and The Port Edition (2024) — this third release continues The Dalmore’s story of innovation and collaboration.

The Sherry Edition celebrated The Dalmore’s century-long relationship with González Byass, whose exclusive Matusalem Sherry casks enrich whiskies across The Dalmore’s Rare, Prestige, and Principal Collections, including The Dalmore 21 Year Old.

The Port Edition showcased the distillery’s enduring partnership with Graham’s, whose Port casks have been instrumental in creating iconic expressions such as The Dalmore Port Wood Reserve and King Alexander III. The most recent Dalmore 30 Year Old featured exclusive 30 Year Old Tawny Port and Single Harvest Port from 1982, provided by Graham’s.

Given The Dalmore’s fascination with red wine maturation — and its particular admiration for the Châteauneuf-du-Pape terroir — Château Mont-Redon was the natural choice for this third collaboration.

Founded in 1923, a decade before the official Châteauneuf-du-Pape Appellation was established, Château Mont-Redon has long been recognized for its visionary approach. Henri Plantin, who acquired the property, saw the potential in its diverse soils — fine sands, limestone, and the iconic galets roulés (rolled pebbles) — ideal for crafting complex wines that express the essence of the region.

Over the decades, his successors have expanded the estate to a continuous 100 hectares, making Château Mont-Redon the largest single property in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Appellation today.

Richard Paterson OBE, Master Distiller at The Dalmore, remarked: "We are truly passionate about the art of cask curation, and the flavours that can be created with The Dalmore’s unique spirit, when using casks from the finest wineries and bodegas. Red wine casks have played an integral role in shaping The Dalmore’s success, so it felt fitting to release some very rare expressions, as part of the Cask Curation Series.

"The layers of flavour from the complex grape blends held inside these Châteauneuf-du-Pape casks from Château Mont-Redon have been instrumental in the development of these three unique Single Malts, which have such richness and complexity.

"This has been a wonderful journey of discovery, to see how different aged and rare whiskies, can be subtly enhanced by this red wine. The three Single Malt Whiskies within this edition of Cask Curation Series, are in my opinion, the pinnacle of red wine cask curation."

The Dalmore’s expertise in wine cask maturation is long established. Within its Principal Collection, The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve and King Alexander III exemplify this artistry.

The Cigar Malt Reserve, matured in Cabernet Sauvignon barriques and exclusive Matusalem Oloroso Sherry casks from González Byass, pairs beautifully with fine cigars.

King Alexander III remains a testament to The Dalmore’s mastery of multi-cask maturation — combining six distinct finishes, including Bourbon, Madeira, Marsala, Sherry, Port, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Launched nearly two decades ago, it remains a benchmark of innovation and craftsmanship.

The Dalmore Cask Curation Series: The Red Wine Cask Edition is available globally, only 150 sets of these rare whiskies will be released, priced at £36,100 / $44,450.

You will find The Dalmore Cask Curation Series: The Red Wine Cask Edition along with the current Dalmore whisky range available from specialist online whisky shops such as The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt
 

• UK Shops
   
• USA Shops
   
• European Shops

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