Glenallachie 12 Years Old (Pedro Ximenez Cask)

This official GlenAllachie, a 12 year old, at 46%. GlenAllachie is a rich, sherried Speyside malt from Aberlour, built on full bodied spirit and active casks. It was mothballed in 1985 and reopened in 1989, a modern distillery by Speyside standards. Its water is the Lochnagar Burn, drawn down from the slopes of Ben Rinnes. It was designed almost entirely gravity fed, an efficient plant for its time. It was founded in 1967, designed by the architect William Delme Evans, his fourth distillery after Jura and Tullibardine.

Worked unhurried through the stillhouse, for a full make built to take active wood. A Pedro Ximenez cask held it, drawing the rich spirit on over the years. By the integrating teens the raw notes fade and esters build, the rich spirit growing rounder and darker. Active first fill wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt. The full bodied spirit takes active wood well, carrying its dark sugars through the years.

Reduced to 46%, it is mellow and sweet. Date, fig and a warm cinnamon, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. The body is full and rich, the fruit deep and dark. Dried fruit, spice and a soft oak see it out. This is a deep, sherried Speyside single malt.