Murray McDavid Dailuaine Bourbon Cask Finished Single Malt Whiskey 700ml

Murray McDavid is an independent Scotch whisky bottler founded in 1996 by Mark Reynier, Simon Coughlin, and Gordon Wright at the former Coleburn distillery site in Speyside. The company built its reputation on ACE, or Additional Cask Enhancement, a wood finishing technique that matures whisky briefly in casks previously used for other wines or spirits after primary maturation. This bottling draws on spirit from Dailuaine, a Speyside distillery owned by Diageo whose name derives from the Gaelic for "green valley" and whose output rarely appears outside of blends like Johnnie Walker.

This single malt was first matured in refill bourbon hogsheads, then finished in ex-bourbon quarter casks sourced from the Koval distillery in Chicago. The smaller quarter cask format accelerates wood contact, mellowing the spirit relatively quickly and layering in additional vanilla and caramel character. Bottled at 44.5% ABV as part of Murray McDavid's Cask Craft series, it is presented without chill filtration or added color, in keeping with the bottler's founding philosophy.

The nose offers stewed apple and creamy vanilla custard alongside baking spice and fresh garden herbs. On the palate, ripe banana and green apple mingle with vanilla sweetness and a dusting of cinnamon, while the underlying Dailuaine spirit contributes a light citrus and malty backbone. The finish runs long, closing on notes of sweet caramel and ripe stone fruit.