Glenallachie 30 Years Old Cask #Batch 4

A distillery release of GlenAllachie, a 30 year old, cask Batch 4, at 49.1%. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt, the home distillery of master distiller Billy Walker. Its stills were doubled from two to four within months of opening, the lyne arms angled down for a fuller spirit. It was designed almost entirely gravity fed, an efficient plant for its time. Its water is the Lochnagar Burn, drawn down from the slopes of Ben Rinnes.

Run slowly off the spirit still, for a thick, ester rich spirit the casks then deepen. It was matured in a Pedro Ximenez cask, the wood working deep into the malt. At a great, fragile age oxidation rules, sotolon lending maple and dried fig as beeswax and old leather linger. The full bodied spirit takes active wood well, carrying its dark sugars through the years. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate.

At a natural 49.1% it is full and rich. A rich orchard sweetness and dark sugar, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. Beneath it run dried fruit, dark sugar and a warm spice. Dried fruit, spice and a soft oak see it out. This is the sherry led malt of Aberlour.