Glenallachie 22 Years Old 1992 Cask #DL 10422 (Old Particular)

Chosen by Douglas Laing, the Glasgow family bottler, this a 22 year old GlenAllachie, distilled in 1992, from cask DL 10422, at 51.1%, one of 181 bottles. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt, long a blending malt and now a sherry led name in its own right. 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.

It was taken gently through wash and spirit stills, for a full make built to take active wood. Ex-Bourbon casks held it, the American oak lending vanilla and a light honey. In the oxidative, evaporative years the spirit concentrates to dried fruit, dark chocolate and a waxy, resinous depth. The wood frames the spirit without ever stripping the full Speyside body. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time.

At a natural 51.1% it is full and rich. A rich orchard sweetness and dark sugar, with a warm oak spice. It is full and fruity, the spirit carrying the cask. A long finish carries raisin, chocolate and a treacle. This is a dark, fruity Speyside single malt.