Glenallachie Single Cask 12 Years Old 2008 (Cask 847)

A distillery release of GlenAllachie, a 12 year old, from 2008, cask 847, at 54.1%, released for a whisky festival. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt, the home distillery of master distiller Billy Walker. 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. Under Walker it turned to single malt, with heavy maturation in sherry and wine casks.

The spirit was distilled to a full, generous cut, shaping a rich Speyside body with real weight. It was matured in a Pedro Ximenez cask, the wood working deep into the malt. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin rounding out as esters lend riper orchard fruit and a chocolate depth. Active first fill wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt.

At 54.1%, undiluted, it is dark and full. Baked apple, honey and a dark chocolate, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. Dried fruit and a treacle sit behind the spice. A long finish carries raisin, chocolate and a treacle. This is a rich Speyside malt of dried fruit and chocolate.