Glenallachie 30 Years Old 1995 20 Years Anniversary (The Whisky Cask)

A GlenAllachie of a 30 year old chosen by The Whisky Cask, distilled in 1995, at 53.4%. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt from the hills above Aberlour, below Ben Rinnes. Its stills were doubled from two to four within months of opening, the lyne arms angled down for a fuller spirit. 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 taken gently through wash and spirit stills, for a full make built to take active wood. A Pedro Ximenez cask held it, drawing the rich spirit on over the years. At a great, fragile age oxidation rules, sotolon lending maple and dried fig as beeswax and old leather linger. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit. The casks are picked closely, the wood matched to the rich GlenAllachie make.

Bottled at a cask strength 53.4%, it is deep and concentrated. A rich orchard sweetness and dark sugar, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. A dark chocolate and a soft oak give it weight. The finish is rounded, dark and spiced. This is a deep, sherried Speyside single malt.