After a bit of a break following my 12 memorable whiskies of 2025, it is time to officially start my 2026 reviews, diving back into some Independently Bottled whisky. Today I am reviewing the Watt Whisky Dailuaine 11 years old. Outside of the lone Flora and Fauna release from Diageo, most of the official production lands in blends. So IBs are the main option to sample the output of this distillery.
TL:DR: Grassy, sweet and even a touch dirty (in a good way)
Score: 6.5, good stuff, and a bit more
The personal side of Independent Bottlers
Before getting into whisky, I spent a lot of time exploring wine. Not unusual when you grow up in one of the top wine producing countries, as I did. I still enjoy wine, but the amount of snobbery and posing eventually decreased my passion with time. There is one aspect of wine, though, that I often miss in whisky – the opportunity to directly connect with the people who make the drink.
In wine, especially here in Italy, outside of larger commercial wineries, it is very common to speak directly with the owner or winemaker when visiting the winery. In the world of whisky distilleries, this rarely happens, unless you book specific tours with the master distiller. There is one side of whisky where that direct connection to the producer is much more real, and it is something to be found in the world of smaller Independent Bottlers.
Producers like the Thompson Bros., whose whisky I recently reviewed, Fragrant Drops, Little Brown Dog or today’s whisky bottler Watt Whisky (just to name a few), all connect with their audience directly, bringing that sense of personal connection which I too often miss in official distilleries. The opportunity to hear first-hand the reason for bottling a certain cask and the overall philosophy of their selection is special. But, most of all, experiencing that unfiltered passion for their job creates a true sense of empathy between maker and drinker, which bridges the gap between producer and consumer.
To keep with this theme, I couldn’t pick a better bottle to review today than this 11 year old Dailuaine from Watt Whisky. I have written about Watt Whisky and introduced the story of this family run IB back in March 2024. I won’t repeat what I wrote back then except to say that making that personal connection, turned me into a fan of their output. As of the second half of 2025, they have opened their own store in Campbeltown, so if you are planning a trip to the Wee Toon, make sure to visit them – it is well worth it.
Watt Whisky Dailuaine 11 years old
Specs
Price paid: 69£
Bottled date: Distilled 2012, bottled 2023
ABV: 58.8%
Natural colour: Yes
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Casks Used: Refill Sherry Butt
Tasting Notes
Colour: Rich and golden. The colour is between what you would get from an active 1st fill Bourbon cask (like in Glen Scotia 12) and a 2nd fill Sherry cask, which makes me wonder if this is maybe a 3rd fill Sherry butt.
Nose: The aromas are quite spirit-forward. There is a hint of Sherry character, but it is minimal. Maybe that impression that this might be a 3rd fill (or more) Sherry butt may be right after all. At first, it is sweet: golden syrup, sugar-coated plain doughnut rings, even a hint of honey. A touch of spice: vanilla and ginger. Then some fruity notes, dried peaches and mango, and a touch of raisins. There is a grassy, almost fresh hay-like note playing in the background. The rhythm section of the whisky, if you wish. A touch of hazelnut and the occasional damp cloth note
With water, the sweetness, still very evident, is toned down, and the grassy note jumps more to the fore. It also gains a touch of floral character. Now there is a more noticeable Sherry impact, still mild but definitely more recognisable as dried fruits, nuts and a touch of spice. There is also a more noticeable funky note – that wet sack turns into a dunnage warehouse note.
Taste and finish: Quite oily and mouth coating. Again, the spirit character leads the dance, but it turns a bit more straightforward than on the nose. Some toffee and ginger. The grassy note is again quite noticeable. Slightly oily and dirty. The finish is medium with quite a bit of lingering ginger, a touch of oak turning slightly astringent.
With water, the palate opens up a bit more. It becomes grassy and nutty, with an underlying sweetness. As is often the case when adding water, I get more spice, which in this case is a positive, and some richer fruity notes. The finish loses a bit of oomph, but not in a dramatic fashion.
Score: 6.5, good stuff, and a bit more
As my exposure to different types of whisky grows, I am finding the groove of the whisky styles I prefer. Fruity ex-refill Bourbon malts, mineral and maritime peated ones, as well as those combining peat and sweet wine casks, are all up there. Sherry, for a while, has dropped to the “nice, but not my favourite” tier. With one exception: refill Sherry butts. And when I say refill, I don’t mean second fill, rather 3rd or more. A good refill Sherry-aged whisky highlights the spirit character and the Sherry influence becomes just a little flavouring, rather than the main show.
All that to say that this Dailuaine should be right up my street. And more. And it is, but it almost leaves me slightly wanting. The nose is luscious, the texture richbut the palate is a little understated compared to the rest of the whisky, making me wish for more of a flavour explosion. That does not mean it is a disappointing bottle, not at all. I am happy to have this one on my shelf and will definitely enjoy my time with it.
* Scores are based on the scoring scale used by Dramface, slightly modified to allow half-points
After writing my tasting notes, I always find it interesting to look at other opinions. Here are a few other reviews of the Watt Whisky Dailuaine 11 years old I enjoyed:
Interested in my take on a specific whisky style? Check the full Journey here and jump to the relevant Chapter.
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