Glenallachie 20 Years Old 1996 Cask #5262 & 5263 (Signatory)

Signatory Vintage, the Edinburgh house that bottles at Edradour above Pitlochry, bottled this GlenAllachie, distilled in 1996, from cask 5262 & 5263, at 43%. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt known for its heavy sherry and wine cask maturation. It was built by Mackinlay McPherson, the firm that supplied whisky to Shackleton's 1907 expedition. It matures its spirit in sixteen dunnage warehouses on the distillery site at Aberlour.

It was run slowly off the spirit still, shaping a rich Speyside body with real weight. A refill bourbon hogshead held it, keeping the full character to the fore. Through oxidative maturity the esters concentrate, the orchard notes turning to raisin, fig and a dark chocolate. The wood frames the spirit without ever stripping the full Speyside body. The full bodied spirit takes active wood well, carrying its dark sugars through the years.

Bottled at 43%, it is rounded and full. A rich orchard sweetness and dark sugar, with a warm oak spice. The mouthfeel is full and coating, the fruit dark and sweet. A long finish carries raisin, chocolate and a treacle. This is the sherry led malt of Aberlour.