Review #465 - Signatory Vintage Dailuaine 13 Year Single Cask (2007)
Part of Signatory Vintage's 'Un-Chillfiltered Collection,' this Dailuaine was selected for bottling by Vine & Table in the Indianapolis, Indiana area. It was distilled in 2007, after which is aged for 13 years in a hogshead - Signatory doesn't specify which sort of hogshead, but based on the flavors in the bottle, we feel relatively confident that it was an ex-bourbon cask.
Dailuaine actually doesn't see the light of day as a single malt too often, at least in OB form - the only regularly available release in a 16 year old at 43%, part of Diageo's unofficially named 'Flora and Fauna' collection. Typically, Dailuaine has been used almost exclusively as a blending component for the drink megacorporation's various blended Scotches. This distillery has gained traction with a number of drinkers in the independently bottled market, though, as it shows robust character when presented properly.
Signatory Vintage Dailuaine 13 Year Single Cask (2007)
Scotland/Speyside - Single Malt
Price Paid: USD 75 (2024)
Current Locally Available Price: USD 90 (2025, equivalent product)
Age Statement: 13 Years
Strength: 57.9% ABV
Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon hogshead
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled April 23, 2007; bottled July 24, 2020; cask no. 303261; 284 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 5 times over 5 months; bottles at 100%, 90% (blind tasting), 80% (blind tasting), 70%, and 60% (blind tasting) fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Light, floral, and dry - hay, quite malty, and a bit spirity, too. There's a grassy, herbal side here, and we get white pepper, freshly laundered linens, and some drying oak; perfume and heather add to the estery side. There is a nice weight to the nose; with time, we find subtle fruits - honeyed pears, old lemons, and sweet stone fruit. One-off scents included freshly baked bread, corn spirit, pine needles, and marshmallow fluff.
Palate: The mouthfeel has a medium thickness; while this is higher strength, the heat really doesn't transfer to the palate. Instead, there's some sharpness from dry oak and white pepper; honey, pears, and green apples add some balancing sweetness. Nutmeg and clove bring baking spice, and there's still a floral element to this - heather again, maybe hay. A fizzy element adds to the texture.
Finish: The strength finally brings some heat in the finish - spirity, warming. Dry cinnamon, oak tannins, and pepper create a strong spice profile, while lime, pears, and fizzy pineapple add fruit flavors, though none are too sweet. There's a soft vanilla note, as well as some salt and hay; the texture remains oily and coating. It's a medium-long finish.
Final Note: Solid quality, but a bit straightforward in terms of flavor. This is something of a classic Speyside or Highland ex-bourbon style single malt, with lots of baking spice, drying oak, light fruit, and floral flavor. There is some nice weight to the spirit, a combination of that Dailuaine character and the bottling strength; besides that high bottling strength, this could be a solid 'session' whisky.
Value is about average - Scotch IBs can sometimes be a bit expensive here in the Midwest US, but this one was quite reasonable. Some other bottles from Signatory do offer a bit more interesting flavor, but there's nothing wrong with this one.
Our Average Rating: 6.9 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.31
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other Dailuaine reviews:
Review #414 - SMWS 41.127 'Mind That Big Ginger Fae' Moffat!' - Dailuaine 13 Year
Review #66 - SMWS 41.147 'Brooding Armchair Dram' - Dailuaine 15 Year
