The Dalmore Cigar Malt Signature Reserve Aged 18 Years is a new permanent Highland single malt from The Dalmore, built to pair with cigars. It is matured first in ex-Bourbon barrels and then in four further cask types: Marsala casks, Cabernet Sauvignon barriques, Cabernet Franc barriques and Matusalem Oloroso sherry casks. It is bottled at 46% ABV, at natural colour and without chill filtration, and costs £299 for 70cl in the UK. Members of The Dalmore Guild can buy from 15 October 2026. General release through the Dalmore online boutique and selected retailers follows on 19 October.
For years, The Dalmore’s answer to cigar smokers has been a single bottle with no age statement at 44% ABV. Now the Highland distillery has added a second, older and fuller option, and made it permanent.
The Dalmore Cigar Malt Signature Reserve Aged 18 Years sits above the long-running Cigar Malt Reserve in the distillery’s Principal Collection. It is not a limited edition. It carries an 18-year age statement, uses five cask types instead of three, and comes in at 46% ABV. That last detail matters more than it looks for a whisky that has to hold its own next to a full-bodied cigar.
Dalmore Cigar Malt Signature Reserve 18: the key facts
Name: The Dalmore Cigar Malt Signature Reserve Aged 18 Years
Age: 18 years
ABV: 46%
Cask types: American white oak ex-Bourbon barrels, Marsala casks, Cabernet Sauvignon barriques, Cabernet Franc barriques, Matusalem Oloroso sherry casks
Colour and filtration: Natural colour, non-chill filtered
Bottle size: 70cl
Price: £299 (UK, Dalmore online boutique)
Release: The Dalmore Guild priority window from Thursday 15 October 2026, general release from 19 October 2026
Status: Permanent addition to the Principal Collection
What is the Dalmore Cigar Malt Signature Reserve? Five casks, each with a job
The Dalmore’s whisky makers describe this as a “marriage” of five casks, with each one chosen for a specific role. It is a more detailed explanation than most multi-cask releases offer.
The base is American white oak ex-Bourbon, which the distillery credits with vanilla and honey. Four further cask types build on that foundation. Sicilian Marsala casks bring ginger and spice. Cabernet Sauvignon barriques add structure and tannin. Cabernet Franc barriques add aromatic lift. Matusalem Oloroso sherry casks, a long-standing Dalmore signature, provide the dried fruit and nutty depth.
Dr Kirstie McCallum, The Dalmore’s Master Whisky Maker, describes the result as a rich, full Dalmore made for the cigar occasion. She ties it together through the Matusalem influence, with the Marsala and both Cabernet grapes layered around it.
Marsala is clearly a theme for the distillery this year. The Dalmore Distillery Select 2026 was a 14-year-old finished in semisecco Marsala casks. The Signature Reserve uses the same wine as one of several voices rather than as the lead.
How it compares with the original Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve
| Cigar Malt Reserve | Cigar Malt Signature Reserve 18 | |
|---|---|---|
| Age statement | None (NAS) | 18 years |
| ABV | 44% | 46% |
| Cask types | 3: ex-Bourbon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Matusalem Oloroso | 5: adds Marsala and Cabernet Franc |
| Colour and filtration | Not stated on product page | Natural colour, non-chill filtered |
| Official profile | Cinnamon, vanilla, red fruit, banana toffee, orange zest | Chocolate orange, dried fig, sticky dates, marmalade, dark chocolate |
| Price (UK) | £117 | £299 |
| Who it suits | An easy, sweeter cigar companion | Fuller cigars and slower sessions |
Going by the official notes, the Reserve leans brighter and sweeter, with tropical fruit and toffee. The 18 points darker, towards fig, dates and chocolate orange. That fits with the extra years and the heavier wine and sherry influence.
Official tasting notes
Tasting notes as supplied by The Dalmore. We have not tasted this whisky yet.
The Dalmore Cigar Malt Signature Reserve Aged 18 Years
Nose: Chocolate orange, dried fig, dark fruit hints of aromatic oud and sandalwood
Palate: Forest berries, sticky dates, orange marmalade, dark chocolate cinnamon spice
Finish: Long and lingering dark fruit, nutmeg, cinnamon
ABV: 46% | Cask type: ex-Bourbon, Marsala, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Matusalem Oloroso | Price: £299
Who makes it: The Dalmore on the Cromarty Firth
The Dalmore sits on the northern shore of the Cromarty Firth in Ross-shire, in the northern Highlands of Scotland. It has distilled there since 1839, and the stag’s head on every bottle is the best-known emblem in Scotch. Today it is part of Whyte & Mackay, which also owns Fettercairn, Jura and Tamnavulin.
The house style starts in the stillhouse. The Dalmore’s stills are deliberately mismatched in shape and size. According to the distillery, this produces a spirit with two sides: bright citrus on one, deep malt on the other. That orange note runs through almost every Dalmore, and it shows up again here as chocolate orange and marmalade.
The other constant is sherry, specifically González Byass Matusalem casks that previously held 30-year-old Oloroso. The Dalmore has built a large part of its identity on these casks. The Signature Reserve keeps them at the heart of the recipe, while wine casks do more of the shaping than in the core range. If you followed our coverage of the Dalmore Madeira Cask Edition, this is the same wine-led thinking applied to a permanent bottle.
Is the Dalmore Cigar Malt Signature Reserve worth £299?
We haven’t tasted it yet, so this is a read on the spec sheet, not a verdict on the liquid.
For £182 more than the Cigar Malt Reserve, you get an 18-year age statement, two additional cask types, 2% more alcohol, natural colour and no chill filtration. Each of those is a real upgrade, not packaging. The higher strength in particular should help the whisky keep its shape next to a cigar, where a lighter dram can disappear.
It makes most sense for two kinds of drinker. The first is the cigar smoker who already likes the Reserve but finds it too gentle for a fuller Nicaraguan or Cuban. The second is the Dalmore fan who wants the house orange-and-chocolate profile with more depth and wine influence.
It is less obvious for anyone who wants to taste one cask type clearly. Five cask types make this a composition, where no single influence dominates. And at £299, it is a considered purchase, not a bottle to open on a whim.
Where to buy the Dalmore Cigar Malt Signature Reserve 18
Members of The Dalmore Guild get a priority purchase window from Thursday 15 October 2026. Guild membership is free, so it is worth signing up if you want a bottle early. General release follows on 19 October 2026 through the Dalmore online boutique and selected retailers.
The UK price is £299 for 70cl. The Dalmore has not yet confirmed prices or dates for the US, the EU or other markets. Its UK boutique ships only a small selection of bottles to some EU countries, so readers outside the UK should check with their local Dalmore stockist. Because the release is permanent rather than limited, there is no reason to panic-buy on day one.
Dalmore Cigar Malt Signature Reserve: FAQ
What is The Dalmore Cigar Malt Signature Reserve Aged 18 Years?
It is a new permanent 18-year-old Highland single malt from The Dalmore, created to pair with cigars. It joins the original Cigar Malt Reserve in the Principal Collection. It is matured in five cask types and bottled at 46% ABV, at natural colour and without chill filtration. The Guild launch is 15 October 2026 and general release is 19 October 2026.
What casks are used in the Dalmore Cigar Malt Signature Reserve 18?
The spirit is first matured in American white oak ex-Bourbon barrels. It is then matured in four more cask types: Marsala casks, Cabernet Sauvignon barriques, Cabernet Franc barriques and Matusalem Oloroso sherry casks. According to The Dalmore, each cask has a defined role, from vanilla and honey to tannin, spice and dried fruit.
How much does the Dalmore Cigar Malt Signature Reserve cost?
The Dalmore Cigar Malt Signature Reserve Aged 18 Years costs £299 for a 70cl bottle in the UK through The Dalmore’s online boutique. That is £182 more than the original Cigar Malt Reserve at £117. Prices for the US, EU and other markets had not been announced at the time of writing.
Where can I buy the Dalmore Cigar Malt Signature Reserve 18?
Members of The Dalmore Guild can buy it from Thursday 15 October 2026. General release follows on 19 October 2026 through The Dalmore’s online boutique and selected retail partners. Outside the UK, availability depends on local Dalmore stockists. The Dalmore’s UK shop only ships some of its range to selected EU countries.
What is the difference between Cigar Malt Reserve and Cigar Malt Signature Reserve?
The original Cigar Malt Reserve has no age statement, is bottled at 44% ABV, uses three cask types and costs £117. The Signature Reserve is 18 years old and bottled at 46% ABV. It adds Marsala and Cabernet Franc casks for five cask types in total, is non-chill filtered at natural colour, and costs £299.
What does the Dalmore Cigar Malt Signature Reserve taste like?
The Dalmore lists chocolate orange, dried fig and dark fruit on the nose, with hints of oud and sandalwood. On the palate it lists forest berries, sticky dates, orange marmalade, dark chocolate and cinnamon. The finish is described as long, with dark fruit, nutmeg and cinnamon. These are the distillery’s own notes, not TDW tasting notes.
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