Glenallachie 9 Years Old (Fino Cask)

A distillery release of GlenAllachie, a 9 year old, at 48%. It belongs to GlenAllachie's The Wood Collection. GlenAllachie is a deep, dark Speyside malt of dried fruit, chocolate and spice. 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.

The spirit was distilled in copper pot stills, for the rich, sherried make GlenAllachie is known for. A Fino 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. Active first fill wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time. The full spirit deepens with time, the cask drawing out its darker register.

At a natural 48% it is full and rich. Orange, raisin and a treacle edge, with a dry, saline, almond note from the cask. The mouthfeel is full and coating, the fruit dark and sweet. A deep finish ends on dried fruit and a dark chocolate. This is the sherry led malt of Aberlour.