Glenallachie Pure Highland Malt 12 Years Old 1970

A 12 year old GlenAllachie, a distillery bottling, from 1970, at 43%. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt, the home distillery of master distiller Billy Walker. It was mothballed in 1985 and reopened in 1989, a modern distillery by Speyside standards. Its stills were doubled from two to four within months of opening, the lyne arms angled down for a fuller spirit. It matures its spirit in sixteen dunnage warehouses on the distillery site at Aberlour. It runs unusually long fermentations, up to a hundred and sixty hours, for a thick, ester rich and fruity spirit.

Run slowly off the spirit still, for a thick, ester rich spirit the casks then deepen. Ex-Bourbon casks held it, the American oak lending vanilla and a light honey. In integration coconut and vanilla knit with the malt, the orchard notes deepening to sultana, date and chocolate. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit.

Reduced to 43%, it is mellow and sweet. Date, fig and a warm cinnamon, lifted by a sweet oak. The body is full and rich, the fruit deep and dark. The finish is rounded, dark and spiced. This is the sherry led malt of Aberlour.