The Dalmore is showcasing another spectacular pick from its single malt stocks with the release of its Distillery Select 2026 edition.
The 2012 Semisecco Marsala Cask Finish is a 14-year-old single malt, first matured in ex-bourbon barrels before a finish of one year and nine months in casks that formerly held a medium-sweet variant of this Sicilian fortified wine.
Highland distillery Dalmore has worked with Marsala casks for decades, most notably as one of the six cask types that comprise its King Alexander III expression. Showcased alone, they reveal a different side to Dalmore’s character.
Tasting Dalmore 2012 Semisecco Marsala Cask Finish
The Distillery Select 2026 is light and fragrant, with notes of honeycomb, crystallised ginger, aniseed, apricot, violets and vanilla. Dalmore’s hallmark citrus and chocolate notes are brightened, coming through as clementine and white chocolate-studded biscuits.
Departing from the sherry and port finishes for which The Dalmore is famed may not please everyone, but it provides an intriguing insight into the versatility of this well-respected distillery. Global communications manager Steph Forsyth says the Distillery Select series “gives us permission” to experiment with whiskies outside the distillery’s typical remit, and the 2026 edition is a shining example of this.
The Dalmore 2012 Semisecco Marsala Cask Finish is bottled non-chill filtered at 53.7% ABV. Just 1,110 bottles have been released, available to purchase at the distillery and through its website from August 31st.
About The Dalmore Distillery Select Series
Debuted in 2024, the annual Distillery Select releases are bottled from small parcels of casks chosen by Dalmore’s whisky-making team, which is led by Richard Paterson, Kirstie McCallum and Gregg Glass. Casks such as this year’s Marsala parcel, demonstrating a ‘lighter’ side of Dalmore, are a favourite of McCallum’s.
The series was designed as a way to explore new sides of Dalmore’s single malt whiskies, focusing on limited runs sourced from stand-out casks. The whisky-making team is rigorous in their cask assessment processes, conducting twice-yearly checks and marking out casks they feel could develop into something worthy of a limited bottling.
Previous releases in the Distillery Select series have comprised three whiskies, but this year’s contains just one, upping the exclusivity ante. Casks highlighted in the collection so far include Colheita tawny port, Cabernet Sauvignon, Amarone, and vintage Calvados.
The Dalmore’s New Brand Home
The launch of the Distillery Select 2026 edition comes only a few months after Dalmore reopened following a three-year renovation project, which included building a brand-new stillhouse.
The new production space includes a full-lauter mash tun, 10 wooden washbacks, and four pairs of stills meticulously designed to mirror Dalmore’s originals. This mirroring goes far deeper than Dalmore’s documented design quirks, such as the flat-topped wash stills and the horizontal spirit-still condensers; the original stills were laser-mapped to ensure precise replicas. The goal is to replicate as closely as possible the spirit made in Stillhouse 1, which will remain in operation.
It’s not only the production spaces that have had a makeover but the guest experience, too. The renovation project included the creation of a new entrance hall and Archive Room, housed in one of the distillery’s original Victorian buildings; a full refurbishment of the former maltings to transform it into an entertaining space, complete with its own bar; and the creation of a private dining area with an outdoor terrace overlooking the Cromarty Firth.
Tours are by appointment only and are not cheap, coming in at £250 per person, but for that guests are given a completely bespoke experience, organised in advance with the brand home team to ensure it’s ticking all their boxes.
Craig Swindell, global brand ambassador, said: “The distillery renovation gave us time to pause and think about how we wanted to host people… They are generally with us for three to four hours and really get to immerse themselves in our world.”
Read the full article at First Taste: Dalmore’s Distillery Select 2026 Single Malt Unveiled
