Glenallachie 9 Years Old 2014 Benchmark (Murray McDavid)

A 9 year old GlenAllachie from Murray McDavid, distilled in 2014, at 56.1%, one of 1658 bottles. GlenAllachie is a rich, sherried Speyside malt from Aberlour, built on full bodied spirit and active casks. It matures its spirit in sixteen dunnage warehouses on the distillery site at Aberlour.

Drawn from a thick, full bodied wash, for a thick, ester rich spirit the casks then deepen. A Barolo cask held it, drawing the rich spirit on over the years. In these extractive early years the oak gives vanillin as vanilla and lactones as coconut over orchard fruit and a dark sugar. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate. The full bodied spirit takes active wood well, carrying its dark sugars through the years. The casks are picked closely, the wood matched to the rich GlenAllachie make.

Bottled at a cask strength 56.1%, it is deep and concentrated. Orange, raisin and a treacle edge, with a dry red berry, rose and a tannic grip from the cask. Beneath it run dried fruit, dark sugar and a warm spice. The finish is rounded, dark and spiced. This is a Speyside single malt of real standing.