Our Makers - The Dalmore’s Brand Home Hosts, Erin and Rob

Our Makers series takes a deeper look into the world of The Dalmore, shining a light on the people whose passion, knowledge and experience shape every aspect of The Dalmore - defining our Highland Single Malt and every experience surrounding it.. 

The Dalmore’s brand home hosts, Erin and Rob are part of the team responsible for guiding our guests through an immersive journey of discovery - from a behind-the-scenes tour of our reimagined distillery to an exquisite guided whisky tasting in our sumptuous Tasting Room.

Firstly, we’d love to know, which is your favourite expression of The Dalmore?

Erin
I have two. The first would be the Dalmore Aged 30 Years. It’s sweet but you get all those lovely antique notes too, plus it’s very well-rounded and has a nice mouthfeel.

Another would have to be The Dalmore Aged 15 Years. It’s aged in three different Sherry casks - Apostoles, Amoroso and Matusalem - with all the signature flavours of citrus, chocolate and warm spice coming through. I actually drink it with my granny. We listen to old music and just chat a lot of nonsense whilst drinking whisky.

Rob
It would have to be The Dalmore Aged 30 Years. It's got everything a whisky should have. It's got flavour - with lovely notes of Victoria plums, dark cocoa and cherries - and it's got depth, but mostly for me it's the mouthfeel - I think that’s very important with whisky.

Also, The Dalmore Aged 15 Years has long been a favourite, so I was naturally keen to try The Dalmore Aged 17 Years when it was released, knowing it shares a similar maturation story. As a fan of sherried whisky, I wasn’t disappointed. Richer and more indulgent than its younger sibling, it elevates The Dalmore’s signature orange, chocolate and spice character, and has quickly become my favourite from that collection

And your favourite serve?

Erin
I would tend to just have it neat usually or maybe with a touch of water. But, of late, and since working at The Dalmore, I’ve been inspired to make The Dalmore Old Fashioned with orange bitters.

Rob
Usually, I enjoy a dram neat or with a splash of water and, like Erin, I’m also a fan of The Dalmore Old Fashioned. We make our own roasted cacao nib syrup to enrich the chocolate notes and orange bitters to enhance the vibrant citrus orange character. We use The Dalmore Aged 15 Years as its base, but for a real treat, I’d recommend swapping it for The Dalmore Aged 17 Years… and oh my!

What have you learned or enjoyed the most in the time you’ve been at The Dalmore?

Rob
Looking back to September 2025 when I joined, I couldn't have ever imagined or predicted the growth and enjoyment I've had here in just ten months. Seeing the distillery project come from being a construction site, as it was back then, to the point we’re at now where we’re welcoming our guests through the doors has been amazing.

The opportunities I’ve had so far have been incredible. Above all, getting to meet new people, learning from them and trying incredible whiskies has been a fantastic experience.

Which are your favourite rooms at the distillery?

Erin
I would say the Stillhouse because viewing it from the balcony above after coming from the Distillation Corridor makes for an absolutely awe-inspiring moment every single time and that never wears off.

Also, the Mash & Tun Room. I just love the atmosphere in there and the warm, malty aroma that greets you the moment you walk into that room. Then, as you make your way towards the lily pad, the sheer size of the washbacks is revealed. It’s spectacular - you don’t usually get to see that in other distilleries.

Rob
It’s got to be the Stillhouse for me too - it takes my breath away every time, even though I work with it every day. There’s just that incredible build up to it and then the grand reveal moment from the balcony when you see the new stills and that beautiful fused-glass window.

I’ve been in many stillhouses and seen many distilleries but there’s really nothing like that. It’s just an incredible space and I love seeing our guests’ reactions. Also, the Tasting Room is one of my favourites, simply because it allows me to share my love for whisky, talk about it and enjoy what we do. As an added bonus, I also get to meet a wonderful range of people and hear some great stories.

What part of the experience do guests react to in ways you did not expect?

Erin
The whole experience is amazing, and you can see that each room has been clearly thought out - everything is intentional and there’s nothing that's been missed. I felt that at the beginning of my time at The Dalmore and I still feel like that now, so I expect our guests essentially feel like I do. I can't imagine what they're feeling for the first time - ‘inspired’ is perhaps a good word that comes to mind.

What moment in the guest experience feels the most emotionally powerful?

Erin
It’s definitely when our guests try our new make spirit because they get to see the layers that go into making The Dalmore. We’re very lucky in that we've been able to take spirit from two of our stills and we can show our guests why our unique stills are the key to making The Dalmore Single Malt. So, I always feel like that's a really cool moment - even if it feels a little bit like a science experiment!

Rob
For me, it’s the sensory build up in the Distillation Corridor before revealing the Stillhouse to the guests. I've seen two people get physically emotional from it. There was a lady that actually teared up at the joy of rediscovering her love for whisky. There was another man who didn't actually open his eyes in the Distillation Corridor - he was just taking the audio in. I could sense that passion for whisky re-firing in him and that's incredible to see.

Building on that point, I think that the Maturation Corridor is also a powerful moment, because our guests really get to see why our cask partners and our multi-cask maturation philosophy is so important to the DNA of The Dalmore.

How do you ensure that every visit feels personal and meaningful?

Erin
It’s about encouraging our guests to be fully involved in the conversation if they want to be, rather than us just speaking at them.

Also, If I go and listen to one of Rob's tours, for instance, it'll be completely different to mine. We all tell the story of The Dalmore, but we’re real people and we're all very passionate so we tell it in our own way - that's one of the things that makes The Dalmore Experience unique.

Rob
Well, the experience is something that is truly tailored to our guests.

Starting weeks in advance, the Concierge team will call and personalise the tour to the guests’ interests and preferences. Each experience is completely private, with no other groups present, and each tasting is curated around the drams our guests particularly want to discover.

What do you hope every guest carries with them when they leave the experience?

Erin
We want them to leave feeling that they were cared for and that they've been inspired by what they've seen. Also, we want them to feel like the experience was theirs, and hopefully they'll go and tell everyone about it when they get home.

Rob
I would like guests to leave with a deeper understanding of The Dalmore - to see the intent behind everything that we do, from our history and our people to the unique location here on the Cromarty Firth.

There’s a range of hidden gems within our Boutique - some old and rare expressions as well as our Distillery Select exclusives, so our guests may even discover a whisky they’d like to enjoy again at home.

Our Makers series continues soon, as we explore more of the people, places and moments that shape the world of The Dalmore. 

If you would like to book The Dalmore Experience, reservations are now open for 2027, with a limited number of visits remaining for 2026. We warmly encourage early booking to secure a preferred date. Please visit Distillery Experiences to book.

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