Glenallachie Single Cask 15 Years Old 2006 (Cask 800547)

GlenAllachie from the distillery, a 15 year old, from 2006, cask 800547, at 59.7%, released for a whisky festival. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt known for its heavy sherry and wine cask maturation. It was founded in 1967, designed by the architect William Delme Evans, his fourth distillery after Jura and Tullibardine. It was mothballed in 1985 and reopened in 1989, a modern distillery by Speyside standards.

It was drawn from a thick, full bodied wash, building a deep malt of dried fruit and dark sugar. It was fully matured in an Oloroso cask, the wood deep in the rich spirit. 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. The casks are picked closely, the wood matched to the rich GlenAllachie make.

At its natural 59.7% it is rich and chewy. Baked apple, honey and a dark chocolate, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. The mouthfeel is full and coating, the fruit dark and sweet. A long finish carries raisin, chocolate and a treacle. This is GlenAllachie's deep, fruity Speyside style.