One of the rarest series in the Scotch world returns for its third consecutive year. The Dalmore’s Cask Curation Series comes back in 2025 with The Red Wine Cask Edition, a three-bottle set featuring 24, 34, and 43-year-old single malts, each finished in red wine casks from France’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape region. Like its previous releases, this one is aimed at the discerning — and affluent — collector.

The Dalmore launched its Cask Curation Series in 2023 with The Sherry Edition, a collaboration with renowned sherry producer González Byass. That collection included single malts aged 26, 28, and 43 years, each matured in ex-bourbon barrels before finishing in a series of vintage sherry casks. In 2024, Cask Curation Series II featured 27-, 30-, and 43-year-old single malts finished in vintage Graham’s port casks.

To create Cask Curation Series III, The Dalmore selected red wine barrels from France’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) established in 1936 in France’s Rhône wine region. The AOC recognizes 18 grape varieties, and the region is particularly celebrated for its bold red wines.

This year’s Red Wine Cask Edition features three single malts, each finished in the same 2023 Château Mont Redon red wine casks. Château Mont Redon is Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s largest single producer and boasts a 100-hectare continuous estate. The Dalmore claims finishing each whisky in the same cask type provides insight into how flavors develop as the distillate ages.

“The layers of flavor from the complex grape blends held inside these Châteauneuf-du-Pape casks from Château Mont-Redon have been instrumental in the development of these three unique Single Malts, which have such richness and complexity,” says Richard Paterson OBE, master distiller at The Dalmore.

For the sophisticated oenophile — or the extra curious whisky drinker — Château Mont Redon’s red blend is made from a combination of Grenache Noir (57%), Syrah (33%), and Mourvèdre (9%), with smaller quantities of varieties like Cinsault and Vaccarèse.

“The ethos of Château Mont-Redon is not just about making wine, it is also about honoring centuries of Rhône tradition,” says Pierre Fabre, winemaker for Mont Redon.

“Each vintage tells the story of our relationship with the terroir, including the land, the mistral, and the stones beneath our feet — and reflects our deep commitment to excellence and the timeless character of this exceptional terroir and the people who live and work here,” said Fabre.

The youngest whisky in Cask Curation Series III is a 24-year-old single malt bottled at 40.7% ABV. According to the brand, the nose starts with “rich honey, sweet citrus, hints of orchard fruits, and delicate spice” before a palate that leads with red berries, crème brûlée, and citrus zest. The finish features toffee, mandarin, and lightly roasted coffee.

The second bottle is a 34-year-old single malt at 40.5% ABV. Brand tasting notes highlight a floral nose with “forest fruits, vanilla, and Seville orange.” The palate features dark berries, stone fruit, and vanilla, followed by a white chocolate and warm honey finish.

This year’s 43-year-old whisky is bottled at 40.3% ABV. The Dalmore highlights aromas of “dried fruit, orange marmalade, manuka honey, and antique leather.” The palate leans into berries, dark chocolate, mango, and warming spices before a finish of more fruit, cocoa, and espresso.

All three expressions are presented in their natural color, without the use of chill filtration, in 700-milliliter bottles. A total of 150 sets will be available worldwide, each with a suggested retail price of $44,450. (That’s the same as the 2024 release, for those keeping track.) Each three-bottle set comes in a custom blue carrying case made by Italy’s AB Florence. Only 26 sets are allocated for distribution in the United States.

Like its predecessors in the Cask Curation Series, The Red Wine Cask Edition highlights a finishing component already found in two of The Dalmore’s main expressions: The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve and King Alexander III. The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve uses both Cabernet Sauvignon barriques and Matusalem Oloroso Sherry casks for extended maturation. The Dalmore King Alexander III is finished across six different types of casks, including ex-bourbon, Madeira, Marsala, sherry, port, and Cabernet Sauvignon.