Glenallachie 11 Years Old 2007 Cask #900177 (van Wees)

This GlenAllachie was bottled by van Wees, an 11 year old, distilled in 2007, from cask 900177, at 62.6%, one of 325 bottles. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt, long a blending malt and now a sherry led name in its own right. It was built for the 1960s blend boom, its make long destined for the blender's vat. Its stills were doubled from two to four within months of opening, the lyne arms angled down for a fuller spirit.

It was worked unhurried through the stillhouse, shaping a rich Speyside body with real weight. It was matured in an Oloroso cask, the wood working deep into the malt. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin rounding out as esters lend riper orchard fruit and a chocolate depth. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time. Active first fill wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt.

At a hearty 62.6% it carries real weight. Fig, walnut and a bittersweet chocolate, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A baked apple and a warm cinnamon lift the middle. It finishes long, full and fruity. This is GlenAllachie's deep, fruity Speyside style.