Aultmore 12 Years Old 2010 Cask #6351 (Alistair Walker Whisky Company)

Bottled by Alistair Walker Whisky Company in 2023 as a 12 year old single cask release drawn from cask 6351 of 2010 vintage Aultmore with 325 bottles distributed at events at cask strength of 55.7%. Alistair Walker is the eponymous independent bottling project of the former managing director of BenRiach, Glendronach, and Glenglassaugh, founded in 2017.

Distilled at the Aultmore distillery near Keith in Speyside, founded in 1896 by Alexander Edward and owned by Bacardi via John Dewar & Sons since 1998. The wash is made from unpeated plain malted barley with soft Auchinderran Burn water, mashed in a stainless steel full lauter mash tun and fermented for 56 hours in six larch wood washbacks. Aultmore runs the spirit through two wash and two spirit stills of plain pot still shape, with steam heated wash stills and shell and tube condensers giving high copper contact for a light, ester forward Speyside character. The spirit was filled into a single Port pipe cask for 12 year on site maturation.

Primary ester development sat alongside Port pipe chemistry. Port aging in pipes brings residual tannins from Portuguese varieties like Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz, alongside anthocyanin pigments and oxidative aldehydes from extended cask seasoning. The combination delivers figs, plum, cocoa, and leather, integrated with Aultmore's underlying light ester signature at 55.7%.