Glenallachie 14 Years Old 2008 Cask #3037429 (Duncan Taylor)

Duncan Taylor, the cask house from Huntly in Aberdeenshire, bottled this GlenAllachie, distilled in 2008, from cask 3037429, at 53.6%, one of the festival bottlings. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt, revived in 2017 by the team of Billy Walker. It matures its spirit in sixteen dunnage warehouses on the distillery site at Aberlour. Its stills were doubled from two to four within months of opening, the lyne arms angled down for a fuller spirit. Under Walker it turned to single malt, with heavy maturation in sherry and wine casks.

The spirit was distilled to a full, generous cut, giving a full bodied Speyside spirit. Ex-Bourbon casks held it, the American oak lending vanilla and a light honey. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin rounding out as esters lend riper orchard fruit and a chocolate depth. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit.

At 53.6%, undiluted, it is dark and full. Raisin, chocolate and a warm spice, with a warm oak spice. A dark chocolate and a soft oak give it weight. Dried fruit, spice and a soft oak see it out. This is a Speyside single malt of real standing.