Glenallachie Single Cask 10 Years Old 2009

A 10 year old GlenAllachie, a distillery bottling, from 2009, cask 3726, at 58.5%, 305 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.

The spirit was distilled in copper pot stills, shaping a rich Speyside body with real weight. It was fully matured in a Sauternes 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. Active first fill wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit. The full bodied spirit takes active wood well, carrying its dark sugars through the years.

At a hearty 58.5% it carries real weight. A rich, sherried sweetness, with honeyed apricot and a candied citrus from the cask. It is full and fruity, the spirit carrying the cask. It finishes long, full and fruity. This is GlenAllachie's deep, fruity Speyside style.