Glenallachie Single Cask 12 Years Old 2009 (Cask 5856)

A distillery release of GlenAllachie, a 12 year old, from 2009, cask 5856, at 58%, 295 bottles in all. 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 runs unusually long fermentations, up to a hundred and sixty hours, for a thick, ester rich and fruity spirit. It was mothballed in 1985 and reopened in 1989, a modern distillery by Speyside standards.

It was distilled in copper pot stills, for a thick, ester rich spirit the casks then deepen. It was fully matured in a Marsala cask, the wood deep in the rich spirit. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin rounding out as esters lend riper orchard fruit and a chocolate depth. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit.

Bottled at a cask strength 58%, it is deep and concentrated. A rich, sherried sweetness, with a raisined, herbal sweetness from the cask. A dark chocolate and a soft oak give it weight. The finish runs long, full and warming. This is a Speyside single malt of real standing.