Glenallachie 18 Years Old 2005 Cask #901061 (Best Dram)

An 18 year old GlenAllachie from Best Dram, distilled in 2005, from cask 901061, at 53.7%, one of 280 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.

Distilled to a full, generous cut, for a thick, ester rich spirit the casks then deepen. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanillin and a soft coconut under the malt. Into oxidative maturity, slow air builds ripe esters and a darker chocolate, fig and date depth. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time. Maturation runs slow and even in the on site dunnage warehouses at Aberlour. The wood frames the spirit without ever stripping the full Speyside body. The casks are picked closely, the wood matched to the rich GlenAllachie make.

At a natural 53.7% it is full and rich. Raisin, chocolate and a warm spice, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A dark chocolate and a soft oak give it weight. A long finish carries raisin, chocolate and a treacle. This is a full bodied Speyside single malt of real richness.