Glenallachie 8 Years Old 2009 (Simon Brown Traders)

This GlenAllachie was bottled by Simon Brown Traders, an 8 year old, distilled in 2009, at 43%. GlenAllachie is a rich, sherried Speyside malt from Aberlour, built on full bodied spirit and active casks. It was built for the 1960s blend boom, its make long destined for the blender's vat. It was mothballed in 1985 and reopened in 1989, a modern distillery by Speyside standards. It runs unusually long fermentations, up to a hundred and sixty hours, for a thick, ester rich and fruity spirit.

Distilled in copper pot stills, giving a full bodied Speyside spirit. A bourbon barrel held it, the wood adding a soft honey over the fruit. In these extractive early years the oak gives vanillin as vanilla and lactones as coconut over orchard fruit and a dark sugar. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time. The wood frames the spirit without ever stripping the full Speyside body.

At an approachable 43% it is soft and fruity. Baked apple, honey and a dark chocolate, over a gentle, creamy oak. Fig, honey and a dark chocolate fill the middle. A deep finish ends on dried fruit and a dark chocolate. This is a Speyside single malt of real standing.