The Dalmore Unveils Third in Cask Curation Series: The Red Wine Cask Edition
The Dalmore Cask Curation Series: The Red Wine Cask Edition has been created in collaboration with esteemed cask partner, Château Mont-Redon of Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Highland Single Malt, The Dalmore, has unveiled the highly anticipated third instalment of their Cask Curation Series: The Red Wine Cask Edition.
First launched in 2023, Cask Curation Series was created to celebrate The Dalmore’s innovative approach to cask maturation, which can be traced back to 1868. The Dalmore truly treasure the cask, making the most of the maturation time by moving spirit from rare cask to rare cask, enriching every drop, and creating the rich and complex style and finesse, that defines The Dalmore.
The Dalmore curate casks from the world’s finest wineries and bodegas in their ongoing quest to create Single Malt Whiskies that elevate every moment, and the Cask Curation Series pays homage to these casks and the spirit of travel that they invoke, their cherished partners, and to their whisky making artistry.
For this chapter of the series, The Dalmore looked to France and the famed Châteauneuf-du-Pape region, a long-standing favourite of The Dalmore whisky makers.
Located in the Rhone Wine Region in the Southeast of France, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is well regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world, characterised as rich and plummy. Over time, more complex flavours develop, with savoury and jammy notes, giving this style of wine a mature finish.
It was these flavour notes that The Dalmore’s whisky makers wished to explore in this edition, to demonstrate and showcase the incredible impact these precious red wines can have on their uniquely robust New Make Spirit.
Working closely with partner Château Mont-Redon and fourth generation winemaker Pierre Fabre, The Dalmore gained access to the freshest Châteauneuf-du-Pape casks. Château Mont-Redon’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape red, is made primarily from Grenache Noir (57%), along with Syrah (33%), Mourvèdre (9%) and small quantities of others including Cinsault and Vaccarèse.
To add further intrigue and expertise, The Dalmore chose to use the same 2023 Château Mont-Redon red wine casks to finish each of the three whiskies which comprise the set, creating the opportunity to clearly showcase how flavour, imparted from these special casks, can embolden The Dalmore’s spirit and signature house style, at three different ages – 24, 34 and 43 Years Old.
The Dalmore Cask Curation Series: The Red Wine Cask Edition – Aged 24 Years is 40.7% ABV. It offers aromas of rich honey, sweet citrus, hints of orchard fruits, and delicate spice. To taste, red berries, crème brûlée, orange zest, and hints of dark toffee, with finishing notes of toffee, mandarin, lightly roasted coffee, and soft exotic spices.
The Dalmore Cask Curation Series: The Red Wine Cask Edition – Aged 34 Years is 40.5% ABV. The extra decade has brought subtle floral notes, with hints of forest fruits, vanilla, and Seville orange. On the palate, rich dark berries, stone fruits, and vanilla, with a finish of warm honey, white chocolate, and a touch of liquorice. A subtle, gentle wood spice is notable throughout, in the aroma, taste and finish.
The Dalmore Cask Curation Series: The Red Wine Cask Edition – Aged 43 Years is 40.3% ABV. The oldest whisky in the set, it offers aromas of dried fruit, orange marmalade, manuka honey, and antique leather. To taste, forest berries, dark chocolate, with hints of honeyed mango, and warming spice. To finish, dark fruit, cocoa with a hint of espresso, and aged wood spice.
Each expression is presented at natural colour and is non-chill filtered.
The Dalmore Cask Curation Series: The Red Wine Cask Edition Whiskies
These three exquisite and exceptionally rare whiskies are presented together in a stunning hand-made presentation case, with just 150 ever to be made, available globally from 1st October 2025, priced at £36,100 / $44,450.
Evoking the spirit of travel, inspired by the long voyages the casks make from their native wineries and bodegas, the whiskies in each edition of the Cask Curation Series are presented in a bespoke carry case, which doubles as a display case.
Hand-crafted by Italian luggage makers, AB Florence, this year’s edition is available in a bold lapis blue. Inspired by the famous winemaking region from where our casks originate, the colour brings to life the amazing blue hue of the grapes on the vine as they grow and ripen, and also pays homage to both the French and Rhône-Alpes flags.
The Dalmore Cask Curation Series: The Red Wine Cask Edition Whiskies in Display Case
This third chapter of the Cask Curation Series has been eagerly anticipated, following the success of the two previous releases.
The Sherry Edition launched the series in 2023, marking the over 100 year relationship between The Dalmore and González Byass. The famed Sherry producer exclusively provide The Dalmore with their Matusalem Sherry, which is used in a range of whiskies across both their Rare and Prestige Collection, and their core, Principal Collection, including The Dalmore 21 Year Old.
In 2024, the second in the series, The Port Edition, showcased collaboration with another long-term partner, Graham’s, from who The Dalmore exclusively source a range of casks from the renowned winemaker. Graham’s 10 Year Old Tawny Port is used in both the Port Wood Reserve and King Alexander III expressions from the Principal Collection. For the most recent release of The Dalmore 30 Year Old, Graham’s exclusively provided 30 Year Old Tawny Port Casks and Single Harvest Port from 1982, to create this exquisite expression.
With The Dalmore’s renowned fascination for experimenting with red wine, and a particular fondness for the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region, collaborator Château Mont-Redon was the perfect partner for this third edition showcase.
Château Mont-Redon has a visionary story and attitude, that has many parallels with that of The Dalmore. Founded in 1923, thirteen years before the official creation of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Appellation, Henri Plantin acquired the isolated Mont-Redon property, recognising the potential of the terroir.
Characterized by its diverse soil composition which includes fine sands (safres), limestone, and the famous rolled pebbles (galet roulés) on the majestic plateau, this landscape enables the creation of complex wines, that truly represent the essence of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Plantin’s efforts laid the groundwork for future generations who continued to expand the estate over time, which now encompasses a 100-hectare continuous estate, making Château Mont-Redon the largest single property in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Appellation.
Richard Paterson OBE, Master Distiller, The Dalmore commented: “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 has been successfully using wine casks in maturation, to unveil and enhance different flavours from their exquisite whiskies, for many years. Two wine matured whiskies feature in The Dalmore’s core, Principal Collection, The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve and King Alexander III.
The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve is the perfect accompaniment to the finest cigars and enjoys maturation in Cabernet Sauvignon barriques, and Matusalem Oloroso Sherry casks, exclusively available to The Dalmore from partner of the first Cask Curation Series, González Byass.
The Dalmore King Alexander III is a masterpiece of the whisky maker’s art and a spectacular showcase of The Dalmore’s philosophy on multi-cask maturation. First launched almost twenty years ago, this one-of-a-kind Single Malt uses a unique assemblage of six, carefully curated cask finishes. Small batch Bourbon, Madeira, and Marsala feature alongside exclusive sherry from González Byass, exclusive Port from Graham’s, and Cabernet Sauvignon wine barriques. This whisky was an innovation that demonstrated The Dalmore’s art of cask curation, and still stands strong today.
The Dalmore Cask Curation Series: The Red Wine Edition will be available globally from 1st October 2025, priced at £36,100 / $44,450. Just 150 sets of these exquisite and exceptionally rare Single Malt Whiskies will be created.
Greg
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