Glenallachie 12 Years Old 2012 Cask #DL 19328 (Old Particular)

A GlenAllachie of a 12 year old chosen by Douglas Laing, distilled in 2012, from cask DL 19328, at 48.4%, one of 415 bottles. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt, revived in 2017 by the team of Billy Walker. It was mothballed in 1985 and reopened in 1989, a modern distillery by Speyside standards. 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.

Taken gently through wash and spirit stills, for the rich, sherried make GlenAllachie is known for. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanillin and a soft coconut under the malt. In integration coconut and vanilla knit with the malt, the orchard notes deepening to sultana, date and chocolate. Active first fill wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt. Maturation runs slow and even in the on site dunnage warehouses at Aberlour.

At its natural 48.4% it is rich and chewy. Baked apple, honey and a dark chocolate, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A dark chocolate and a soft oak give it weight. A deep finish ends on dried fruit and a dark chocolate. This is the sherry led malt of Aberlour.