Glenallachie 12 Years Old (Moscatel Finish)

GlenAllachie from the distillery, a 12 year old, at 48%, a festival bottling. It belongs to GlenAllachie's Wood Finish Series. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt, revived in 2017 by the team of Billy Walker. 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.

Taken gently through wash and spirit stills, for a thick, ester rich spirit the casks then deepen. It was matured in ex-Bourbon oak and finished in a Moscatel cask, a layer of Moscatel over the bourbon vanilla. 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. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate.

At a hearty 48% it carries real weight. Baked apple, honey and a dark chocolate, with a grapey, floral sweetness from the cask. Fig, honey and a dark chocolate fill the middle. A long finish carries raisin, chocolate and a treacle. This is GlenAllachie's deep, fruity Speyside style.