Glenallachie 23 Years Old 1996 Cask #5268 (Signatory)

This GlenAllachie was bottled by Signatory Vintage, a 23 year old, distilled in 1996, from cask 5268, at 51.8%, one of 244 bottles. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt, the home distillery of master distiller Billy Walker. It was designed almost entirely gravity fed, an efficient plant for its time. It was founded in 1967, designed by the architect William Delme Evans, his fourth distillery after Jura and Tullibardine.

The spirit was drawn from a thick, full bodied wash, for a thick, ester rich spirit the casks then deepen. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak gentle behind the spirit. At this evaporative stage ellagitannins lend structure while oxidation builds a richer raisin and treacle. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time.

At its natural 51.8% it is rich and chewy. A deep, dark sweetness, with a soft vanilla from the oak. The mouthfeel is full and coating, the fruit dark and sweet. A deep finish ends on dried fruit and a dark chocolate. This is GlenAllachie's deep, fruity Speyside style.