Glenallachie 8 Years Old 2014 Cask #22101 (Alambic Classique)

Alambic Classique bottled this GlenAllachie, an 8 year old, distilled in 2014, from cask 22101, at 64.9%, one of 655 bottles. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt, long a blending malt and now a sherry led name in its own right. It runs unusually long fermentations, up to a hundred and sixty hours, for a thick, ester rich and fruity spirit. It was built for the 1960s blend boom, its make long destined for the blender's vat.

It was run slowly off the spirit still, for a thick, ester rich spirit the casks then deepen. Maturation came in an Oloroso cask, layered over the full GlenAllachie make. At an extractive age eugenol lends a clove note and lactones a coconut, the spirit rich, fruity and full. The casks are picked closely, the wood matched to the rich GlenAllachie make. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate.

At its natural 64.9% it is rich and chewy. A rich, sherried sweetness, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. The body is full and rich, the fruit deep and dark. The finish is long, rich and spiced. This is a dark, fruity Speyside single malt.