Glenallachie 19 Years Old 1995 Finest (Hart Brothers)

Hart Brothers bottled this GlenAllachie, a 19 year old, distilled in 1995, at 56.7%. GlenAllachie is a rich, sherried Speyside malt from Aberlour, built on full bodied spirit and active casks. Its stills were doubled from two to four within months of opening, the lyne arms angled down for a fuller spirit. It was built for the 1960s blend boom, its make long destined for the blender's vat. It was designed almost entirely gravity fed, an efficient plant for its time.

It was distilled in copper pot stills, shaping a rich Speyside body with real weight. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, oak lactones lending a creamy vanilla. Into oxidative maturity, slow air builds ripe esters and a darker chocolate, fig and date depth. Maturation runs slow and even in the on site dunnage warehouses at Aberlour. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time.

At a hearty 56.7% it carries real weight. Baked apple, honey and a dark chocolate, lifted by a sweet oak. A baked apple and a warm cinnamon lift the middle. A long finish carries raisin, chocolate and a treacle. This is a deep, sherried Speyside single malt.