Dailuaine 1974

Dailuaine is a well-respected distillery that was recently chosen by Diageo to cover the gap created by Clynelish’s refurbishment, as it shares a similar waxy character and this was amplified by maximising the fermentation time. Founded in 1852 by William Mackenzie it passes through the family until it is acquired by a consortium of blenders in 1919; blends such as Dewar’s, Black & White and Johnnie Walker. The rise of DCL in the 1920s led to the acquisition of Johnnie Walker and distilleries associated with the brand. Very little of Dailuaine is released officially and the distillery is closed to the public apart from special days during the Speyside festival. You’ll most likely see it with the staple 16 year old as part of the Flora & Fauna range or a 22 year old in the Rare Malts series from 1996. More recently was a 34 year old in the Special Releases range in 2015, or consistent support from independent bottlers.