Scotland, Northern Highlands. Distillery operational. Owner: Whyte & Mackay

It was with quite a bang that Dalmore joined the ranks of collectible whiskies, when the group's master blender Richard Paterson presented the Constellation range in 2014. This interstellar symphony of 43 bottlings (1964 - 1992) was the culmination of several decades spent in the depths of warehouses sculpting a distillate with a complex and versatile character in the ex-sherry casks that have become the trademark of the Dalmore Single Malt. Selected from the Gonzeles Byass bodega, these Oloroso, Mathusalem (The Dalmore 32 Year Old 1974 Cask #504, 52%) and Amoroso (The Dalmore 1981 Amoroso Sherry Finesse) barrels offer such aromatic density and range that the profile of The Dalmore has become indistinguishable from the sherries produced at the bodega which, along with Richard Paterson, has co-designed the Dalmore style.

A Dalmore 37 year old single cask distilled in 1976 and bottled in 2014 by Cadenhead. Cadenhead was founded in 1842 by George Duncan. He was soon joined by William Cadenhead, who renamed the business following Duncan’’s death in 1858. When Cadenhead in turn passed away in 1904, his nephew Robert Duthie took over and turned the business into the independent bottler it is today. After Duthie, it was managed by one of his employees, Ann Olivier, whose stubborn approach to running the business led to much of the stock having to be sold at auction by Christie’’s (London) in 1972 to feed the kitty and save the business. It was then sold to J. & A. Mitchell and Co, who also owned Springbank, and moved to Campbeltown. Limited edition of 150 bottles