Glenallachie 16 Years Old 1995 Cask #DL 7932 (Douglas Laing)

This GlenAllachie was bottled by Douglas Laing, a 16 year old, distilled in 1995, from cask DL 7932, at 50%, one of 295 bottles. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt, long a blending malt and now a sherry led name in its own right. Under Walker it turned to single malt, with heavy maturation in sherry and wine casks. 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. Ex-Bourbon casks held it, the American oak lending vanilla and a light honey. Into oxidative maturity, slow air builds ripe esters and a darker chocolate, fig and date depth. The full bodied spirit takes active wood well, carrying its dark sugars through the years. The casks are picked closely, the wood matched to the rich GlenAllachie make. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time.

At a natural 50% it is full and rich. Date, fig and a warm cinnamon, with a warm oak spice. The body is full and rich, the fruit deep and dark. Dried fruit, spice and a soft oak see it out. This is a Speyside single malt of real standing.