Glenallachie 16 Years Old 2008 Cask #2310069 (Murray McDavid)

Murray McDavid bottled this GlenAllachie, a 16 year old, distilled in 2008, from cask 2310069, at 56.6%, one of 52 bottles. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt, founded in 1967 below Ben Rinnes near Aberlour. Its water is the Lochnagar Burn, drawn down from the slopes of Ben Rinnes. It was bought in 2017 by Billy Walker and two partners, fresh from selling BenRiach, GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh.

Distilled to a full, generous cut, building a deep malt of dried fruit and dark sugar. Maturation came in a Pedro Ximenez cask, layered over the full GlenAllachie make. At oxidative maturity aldehydes lend a nutty edge while ellagitannins draw a drying, structured grip across the fruit. The full bodied spirit takes active wood well, carrying its dark sugars through the years. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate. The full spirit deepens with time, the cask drawing out its darker register.

Bottled at a cask strength 56.6%, it is deep and concentrated. Date, fig and a warm cinnamon, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. The body is full and rich, the fruit deep and dark. The finish is long, rich and spiced. This is a rich Speyside malt of dried fruit and chocolate.