Glenallachie 9 Years Old 2008 Cask #900364 (van Wees)

A 9 year old GlenAllachie from van Wees, distilled in 2008, from cask 900364, at 46%, one of 954 bottles. GlenAllachie is a rich, sherried Speyside malt from Aberlour, built on full bodied spirit and active casks. It was designed almost entirely gravity fed, an efficient plant for its time. It runs unusually long fermentations, up to a hundred and sixty hours, for a thick, ester rich and fruity spirit. Its water is the Lochnagar Burn, drawn down from the slopes of Ben Rinnes.

Taken gently through wash and spirit stills, for a full make built to take active wood. An Oloroso cask held it, drawing the rich spirit on over the years. At an extractive age eugenol lends a clove note and lactones a coconut, the spirit rich, fruity and full. Maturation runs slow and even in the on site dunnage warehouses at Aberlour. Active first fill wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt.

At 46% it is rich, fruity and deep. A rich, sherried sweetness, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. It is full and fruity, the spirit carrying the cask. The finish runs long, full and warming. This is a dark, fruity Speyside single malt.