As The Dalmore’s Cask Curation series takes us into red wine cask whisky territory, we thought we’d take a closer look at them.
Wine casks are divisive. When the match isn’t right, they can be overwhelmingly tannic or unbalanced with fruit, even too sour. But they’re also among the more intriguing tools available to whisky makers today, in Scotch and beyond.
The Cask Curation series Red Wine Cask Edition
The evolving world of red wine cask whisky
Using red wine casks simply because it’s a trend is a bad place to start. Craig Swindell, The Dalmore global specialist, says the Highland whisky maker is not interested in that. Instead, its whisky makers look at what the wood will actually do to the spirit. That means considering the original wine, of course, but also the grape variety, the region, the age of the cask and the inherent personality of the wood. You have to treat the barrels (barriques typically) as a set of tools rather than just flavour dispensers.
This approach comes into sharp focus with this year’s Cask Curation. The third release in the series, which brings together three single malts, is called The Red Wine Cask Edition and explores the effect of Châteauneuf-du-Pape cask maturation. Specifically, the release uses Mont Redon barriques from the Rhône Valley, a choice that is far more specific than simply opting for red wine. Rhône wines bring lifted red fruit and a thread of savoury herbaceous character. The Dalmore spirit tends to be rich and muscular, so the distillery aims for contrast, aiming for finesse rather than a riot of jammy sweetness.
That theme carries through the Principal Collection. King Alexander III relies on Cabernet Sauvignon barriques from Bordeaux to help balance the complexity of its six-cask recipe. These casks tighten the shape of the whisky, giving the richer components something to lean on. Cigar Malt Reserve leans on red wine casks for another purpose entirely. They lift the tannins just enough to create a mouthwatering, palate-sharpening dryness.
Châteauneuf-Du-Pape cask maturation is the focus here
Mastering red wine cask whisky
Quintessence provides an even wider lens. It explores what happens when five distinct Californian red wines meet The Dalmore spirit. Californian reds tend to bring generous fruit, spice and warmth, which creates a deliberately modern counterpoint to the classical order of Bordeaux or the herbal subtlety of the Rhône. It throws a spotlight on texture. Where European barriques can give precision, Californian ones bring amplitude. It would be easy to overpower such an old whisky with a bold cask. Instead, the team aims for restraint. The cask is there to refine, not rewrite.
This mindset does not appear by accident. The Dalmore has spent years building relationships with renowned wineries and bodegas. These partnerships allow the distillery to select casks that genuinely suit its spirit rather than grabbing whatever becomes available on the bulk market. It is a level of cask curation that feels almost winemaking in attitude.
The whisky makers see their casks as part of a wider composition. Each one must complement, contrast or enhance the natural depth of The Dalmore. The cask is not the story on its own. It is one voice in a much larger piece of music.