Glenallachie 21 Years Old Cask #Batch 2

A distillery release of GlenAllachie, a 21 year old, cask Batch 2, at 51.1%, 1600 bottles in all. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt known for its heavy sherry and wine cask maturation. Its stills were doubled from two to four within months of opening, the lyne arms angled down for a fuller spirit. Its water is the Lochnagar Burn, drawn down from the slopes of Ben Rinnes.

Drawn from a thick, full bodied wash, for a thick, ester rich spirit the casks then deepen. A Pedro Ximenez cask held it, drawing the rich spirit on over the years. Into oxidative maturity, slow air builds ripe esters and a darker chocolate, fig and date depth. Active first fill wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt. 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.

At its natural 51.1% it is rich and chewy. A rich orchard sweetness and dark sugar, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. It is full and fruity, the spirit carrying the cask. A deep finish ends on dried fruit and a dark chocolate. This is a rich, sherried Speyside single malt.