THE MAKING OF A WHISKY & CHOCOLATE EXPERIENCE
We are crafters and storytellers of chocolate experiences. It is our mission to use chocolate for its original purpose, as a sacred plant consumed to travel to our inner world.
Our ingredients are highly energetic and activated in prima materia soil from around the world. These energetic qualities are what drive us on an everlasting quest to uncover ingredients at the pinnacle of their profile. Our extensive dossier of exceptional raw materials comes from Mother Nature and our farmer partners who align with our values. Through an alchemical process, our chocolates are designed to raise your vibe, deepening one’s connection to intuition and opening your senses to taste the unique characteristics of our chocolates — every root, flower, spice and seed. This meticulous process of sourcing best-in-class ingredients is a labor of love, which provides an unrivaled taste experience as you Travel the World Through Chocolate®.
THE DALMORE HIGHLAND SINGLE MALT WHISKY
The Dalmore is a masterpiece, born from a relentless focus on the potential which lies within every cask. Today, our Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass, continues an unbroken chain of visionary whisky makers, always pushing boundaries to mature our spirit in the rarest and most exalted of casks.
We have collaborated with The Dalmore to create a one-of-a-kind single malt whisky and chocolate pairing experience. These bespoke truffles have been carefully crafted to complement and enhance the various expressions of The Dalmore.
THE DALMORE 12 YEAR
THE CHOCOLATE – Lush caramel and bright citrus converge when caramelized Muscovado sugar is married with raw honey and Sicilian blood orange. A bite into this exquisite caramel is accentuated by a rich 62% cacao dark chocolate ganache made with Mediterranean olive oil. The truffle is enrobed in 62% cacao dark chocolate and topped with a Corsican candied orange peel for a tender finish.
THE WHISKY – An outstanding single malt matured in American white oak ex-Bourbon barrels and finessed in rare and aged Oloroso Sherry casks. The 12 Year Old is the perfect introduction to The Dalmore.
The Nose: Citrus fruits, chocolate and aromatic spices
The Palate: Seville oranges, dried fruits and hints of vanilla pod
The Finish: Roasted coffee and dark chocolate
THE DALMORE 14 YEAR
THE CHOCOLATE – This is an indulgence steeped in richness. We take Georgian pecans and soak them for twenty-four hours in The Dalmore 14, imparting its notes of warm honey, zesty citrus and dark fruits. Paired with our Hataruma burnt sugar caramel and 62% cacao dark chocolate, this truffle is two bites of enchanting delight.
THE WHISKY – This luscious offering is first matured in American white oak ex-Bourbon barrels, gaining hallmark notes of soft vanilla, toffee, and honey. A proportion is then transferred to rare casks from Gonzalez Byass, which have previously held sweet Pedro Ximénez sherry and nurtured by Master Whisky Maker and Blender Gregg Glass. After approximately two years, these separate parcels are reunited to create a unique and harmoniously balanced single malt.
The Nose: Warm honey dates, Seville orange zest, rich raisins and allspice
The Palate: Figs, dates, toasted hazelnuts, roasted coffee and maple syrup
The Finish: Rich dark fruits, liquorice, marmalade and depths of cocoa
THE DALMORE 15 YEAR
THE CHOCOLATE – Early harvest, first pressed, Mediterranean olive oil is blended with our proprietary 72% cacao dark chocolate for a creamy bite that melts on the palate. The truffle is rolled in a spiced ginger crumb giving the chocolate warmth and crunch. This chocolate makes a perfect accompaniment for whisky. We love to spear the truffle with a beautiful metal cocktail pick for bathing and sipping.
THE WHISKY – The epitome of The Dalmore house style, the 15 Year Old is finished in different styles of sherry casks including Apostoles, Amaroso and Matusalem Oloroso which are hand selected from world renowned bodegas, including Gonzales Byass.
The Nose: Orange marmalade, cinnamon and nutmeg
The Palate: Mandarin, vanilla, ginger and crushed apples
The Finish: Caramelized orange and rich dark chocolate
THE DALMORE 18 YEAR
THE CHOCOLATE – We sourced Ethiopia’s finest Yirgacheffe coffee and Tahitian vanilla bean to infuse into our blackstrap molasses burnt sugar caramel. This gloriously rich caramel rests aside our 72% cacao dark chocolate ganache and is enrobed in our 36% cocoa butter white chocolate. This is a truffle that expresses parfums that are both light and dark, fresh and rich. We top the chocolate with 23 karat gold leaf.
THE WHISKY – This whisky begins its maturation journey in American white oak ex-Bourbon barrels, giving a base of soft vanilla and honey. Further enhancement follows, with an extended finish in 30-Year-Old Matusalem Oloroso Sherry casks, exclusive to The Dalmore, from the Gonzales Byass bodega in Spain.
The Nose: Vanilla, dark chocolate, orange and cinnamon
The Palate: Dark chocolate, candied citrus fruits, rich coffee, nutmeg and soft liquorice
The Finish: Citrus fruits and rich molasses
A GUIDED TASTING OF WHISKY + CHOCOLATE
BREATHE
Close your eyes and take three deep breaths in and out through the nose, to the count of 3 on the inhale and 3 count on the exhale. Notice how the breath flows in your nose cool and then warm as it flows out in the exhale.
Remove yourself away from the hustle and bustle of life, just be present here and focus on opening your sensory body and quieting the thinking mind.
SEE & TOUCH
Now, slowly open your eyes and be curious. See the chocolate. See the whisky. Observe them as if for the first time… Examine the curves, the color, the movement; have a sense of its weight and temperature.
Raise the glass by the base of its stem. Hold it to eye level. Take time to really see the whisky inside.
Look at its colour, rich and warm, influenced by its maturation in The Dalmore’s curated casks. This finessing can be seen in the whisky’s viscosity, or ‘legs’.
SMELL
Now close your eyes again, smell the chocolate. What aromas arise? Now the whisky, place the glass under your nostrils alternating between your left and right nostril. Explore its fragrance. We call this “nosing” the whisky.
TASTE
Slowly place the chocolate against your lips, feeling it. Now bite the chocolate in half and notice the sound it makes as it breaks. Do you hear a loud snap or a quiet break?
FINISH
As you begin to chew, slowly break up the chocolate with your teeth and spread over your tongue, press to the palate – the roof of your mouth, then stop chewing. Notice how the taste changes and evolves from beginning, mid note and to the finish. Notice how the chocolate shards melt slower than the ganache.
Decide to swallow when you are ready. Follow the path of the chocolate all the way down your throat into your stomach. Reflect on the finish in your mouth by sipping air through your nose and chewing on it in the mouth. How long does it persist?
Spend a moment acknowledging how the chocolate came to you today…someone handpicked the cacao pod, extracted the seeds and the journey began into our hands whereby these were hand selected into the box and tied with a bow.
BATHING CHOCOLATE
One of our preferences in the pairing is to bathe our chocolate in the whisky so as to integrate the whisky and chocolate in each bite.
Lift the glass to your lips and take a small taste.
Don’t drink it though, hold in your mouth, roll it gently from side to side.
Now swallow. Feel how the liquid trickles down your throat.
Follow its journey as it goes down your throat and stomach.
Now wait. Open your mouth a little and let the air pass over your palate.
Be aware of how the parfums continue to evolve – and of how long the after taste lingers.
Now this time taste the chocolate.
There are hidden depths to each vintage of The Dalmore. If you give it your time and attention you will be rewarded. I will leave you now to relax and uncover even more as you finish your glass and your chocolate.
Slàinte Mhath! Shop The Dalmore x Vosges Pairing Collection here.
