Glenallachie 12 Years Old 2009 Cask #900354 (Valinch & Mallet)

Valinch and Mallet bottled this GlenAllachie, a 12 year old, distilled in 2009, from cask 900354, at 52.8%, one of 316 bottles. 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. Its water is the Lochnagar Burn, drawn down from the slopes of Ben Rinnes.

Worked unhurried through the stillhouse, for a full make built to take active wood. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanillin and a soft coconut under the malt. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin rounding out as esters lend riper orchard fruit and a chocolate depth. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate. The casks are picked closely, the wood matched to the rich GlenAllachie make.

At a natural 52.8% it is full and rich. Orange, raisin and a treacle edge, over a gentle, creamy oak. Beneath it run dried fruit, dark sugar and a warm spice. A deep finish ends on dried fruit and a dark chocolate. This is a rich Speyside malt of dried fruit and chocolate.