Allt-a-Bhainne 22 Years Old 1991 (Signatory Cask Strength Collection)

Distilled in 1991 and bottled by Signatory Vintage in 2013 under the Cask Strength Collection imprint, this is a 22 Years Old Allt-a-Bhainne at 54% ABV from ex Bourbon maturation. The release is one of 444 bottles, drawn from Signatory's extensive 1991 Allt-a-Bhainne cask holdings that have produced multiple single cask releases over the years.

Allt-a-Bhainne ferments malted barley for 48 to 50 hours on Mauri liquid yeast in closed stainless steel washbacks, then double distills through two copper wash stills and two copper spirit stills with steam heating and shell and tube condensers. The short Speyside ferment produces a clean malt forward spirit built as a blend filler for Chivas Regal, Passport and 100 Pipers. New make is reduced with Rowantree Burn water and tankered to Keith for cask filling and maturation, since the distillery holds no warehousing on site.

Ex Bourbon American oak frames cask contribution on vanillin and oak lactones from the toasted and charred staves, with Maillard chemistry from hemicellulose oak sugars driving honey and vanilla. The clean American oak palette suits Allt-a-Bhainne's lighter blend filler spirit. Twenty two years of cask interaction develops the ex Bourbon profile deep into mature territory, with extended Maillard chemistry building honey, toasted and developed lactone register alongside the lighter spirit character.