Glenallachie 9 Years Old 2008 Cask #3014026 (Duncan Taylor)

Duncan Taylor bottled this GlenAllachie, a 9 year old, distilled in 2008, from cask 3014026, at 51.1%, one of 56 bottles. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt, long a blending malt and now a sherry led name in its own right. It was founded in 1967, designed by the architect William Delme Evans, his fourth distillery after Jura and Tullibardine. It matures its spirit in sixteen dunnage warehouses on the distillery site at Aberlour. Under Walker it turned to single malt, with heavy maturation in sherry and wine casks.

It was taken gently through wash and spirit stills, for a thick, ester rich spirit the casks then deepen. A refill bourbon hogshead held it, keeping the full character to the fore. In these extractive early years the oak gives vanillin as vanilla and lactones as coconut over orchard fruit and a dark sugar. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit.

At a hearty 51.1% it carries real weight. Raisin, chocolate and a warm spice, with a soft vanilla from the oak. The mouthfeel is full and coating, the fruit dark and sweet. The finish is rounded, dark and spiced. This is GlenAllachie's deep, fruity Speyside style.