Glenallachie Single Cask 14 Years Old 2008 (Cask 1844)

A 14 year old GlenAllachie, a distillery bottling, from 2008, cask 1844, at 57.2%, 314 bottles in all. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt from the hills above Aberlour, below Ben Rinnes. It was mothballed in 1985 and reopened in 1989, a modern distillery by Speyside standards. It was built for the 1960s blend boom, its make long destined for the blender's vat.

It was worked unhurried through the stillhouse, for a full make built to take active wood. A Marsala cask held it, drawing the rich spirit on over the years. By the integrating teens the raw notes fade and esters build, the rich spirit growing rounder and darker. The casks are picked closely, the wood matched to the rich GlenAllachie make. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate.

At a hearty 57.2% it carries real weight. A rich orchard sweetness and dark sugar, with a raisined, herbal sweetness from the cask. The body is full and rich, the fruit deep and dark. The finish is long, rich and spiced. This is a Speyside single malt of real standing.