Glenallachie 8 Years Old (Pedro Ximenez Cask)

GlenAllachie from the distillery, an 8 year old, at 46%. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt, revived in 2017 by the team of Billy Walker. It was built by Mackinlay McPherson, the firm that supplied whisky to Shackleton's 1907 expedition. It was built for the 1960s blend boom, its make long destined for the blender's vat. Under Walker it turned to single malt, with heavy maturation in sherry and wine casks. It was mothballed in 1985 and reopened in 1989, a modern distillery by Speyside standards.

The spirit was distilled in copper pot stills, giving a full bodied Speyside spirit. It was fully matured in a Pedro Ximenez cask, the wood deep in the rich spirit. In these extractive early years the oak gives vanillin as vanilla and lactones as coconut over orchard fruit and a dark sugar. Maturation runs slow and even in the on site dunnage warehouses at Aberlour.

Reduced to 46%, it is mellow and sweet. Raisin, chocolate and a warm spice, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. Beneath it run dried fruit, dark sugar and a warm spice. It finishes long, full and fruity. This is a deep, sherried Speyside single malt.