Glenallachie Handfilled At The Distillery 16 Years Old 2007

A 16 year old GlenAllachie, a distillery bottling, from 2007, cask 4044, at 62.5%. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt, founded in 1967 below Ben Rinnes near Aberlour. It matures its spirit in sixteen dunnage warehouses on the distillery site at Aberlour. It was built for the 1960s blend boom, its make long destined for the blender's vat. 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.

It was distilled to a full, generous cut, giving a full bodied Speyside spirit. It was fully matured in a Pedro Ximenez cask, the wood deep in the rich spirit. Into oxidative maturity, slow air builds ripe esters and a darker chocolate, fig and date depth. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit.

Bottled at a cask strength 62.5%, it is deep and concentrated. Orange, raisin and a treacle edge, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. The mouthfeel is full and coating, the fruit dark and sweet. A deep finish ends on dried fruit and a dark chocolate. This is a deep, sherried Speyside single malt.