Glenallachie 25 Years Old 1995 Cask #DL 13922 (XOP)

Douglas Laing bottled this GlenAllachie, a 25 year old, distilled in 1995, from cask DL 13922, at 58.5%, one of 254 bottles. GlenAllachie is a deep, dark Speyside malt of dried fruit, chocolate and spice. Under Walker it turned to single malt, with heavy maturation in sherry and wine casks. Its water is the Lochnagar Burn, drawn down from the slopes of Ben Rinnes. It was built by Mackinlay McPherson, the firm that supplied whisky to Shackleton's 1907 expedition. It was founded in 1967, designed by the architect William Delme Evans, his fourth distillery after Jura and Tullibardine.

It was drawn from a thick, full bodied wash, shaping a rich Speyside body with real weight. Ex-Bourbon casks held it, the American oak lending vanilla and a light honey. At this evaporative stage ellagitannins lend structure while oxidation builds a richer raisin and treacle. 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.

At its natural 58.5% it is rich and chewy. A deep, dark sweetness, lifted by a sweet oak. It is full and fruity, the spirit carrying the cask. The finish is long, rich and spiced. This is a rich, sherried Speyside single malt.