The Dalmore Luminary No. 3 17 Year Old Scotch Whisky 2025 Edition
The Dalmore Luminary No. 3 17 Year Old Scotch Whisky, 2025 Edition is the finale of The Dalmore's celebrated Luminary Series: a 17-year-old Highland single malt bottled at 49.2% ABV (98.4 proof), non-chill-filtered with no added colour, finished across an extraordinary combination of seven casks — and it is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
The Luminary Series is a three-edition collaboration between The Dalmore, V&A Dundee, and a design luminary; No. 3 pairs whisky maker Gregg Glass (with Richard Paterson OBE) with architect Ben Dobbin of Foster + Partners, whose design drew on the distillery's landscape, lochs, and topography. After initial maturation in American white oak ex-bourbon, the whisky was finished in vintage Calvados casks (1989 and 1999 vintages), Matusalem and Apostoles sherry casks, and Bordeaux and Châteauneuf-du-Pape red-wine barriques. Just 20,000 bottles were produced worldwide; the release coincided with the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale in May 2025.
Tasting notes (per The Dalmore): vibrant orchard character — baked red apples, honey, sugared almonds — with Madagascan vanilla, cinnamon, and soft wood spice; a palate of rich butterscotch, red apple tarte tatin, dark cacao, red liquorice, cardamom, Seville orange, and green tea; a finish of dried apricot, ripe blackberry, fresh-baked brioche, and cassia bark.
Why buy Luminary No. 3? Because it is the closing chapter of a three-part collaboration between one of Scotland's great distilleries and world-class design — a seven-cask, 17-year-old Dalmore in a strict worldwide allocation. Browse the The Dalmore brand collection, more Scotch whisky, and other international spirits.
Serving note: neat in a tulip glass to unfold the seven-cask layers; a drop of water softens the 49.2% frame.
What is the Luminary Series? A three-edition collaboration between The Dalmore, V&A Dundee, and a design luminary; No. 3 (2025) is the finale.
Which casks was it finished in? Seven: vintage Calvados (1989 and 1999), Matusalem and Apostoles sherries, and Bordeaux and Châteauneuf-du-Pape red-wine barriques, after American white oak ex-bourbon maturation.
How many bottles were made? 20,000 worldwide, presented in a bespoke case.
Is it cask strength? Bottled at 49.2% ABV, non-chill-filtered, natural colour — a full-bodied, cask-strength-style presentation, though not labelled cask strength.