Glenallachie Single Cask 10 Years Old 2014 (Cask 2188)

A 10 year old GlenAllachie, a distillery bottling, from 2014, cask 2188, at 59.2%, 360 bottles in all. GlenAllachie is a rich, sherried Speyside malt from Aberlour, built on full bodied spirit and active casks. It was built by Mackinlay McPherson, the firm that supplied whisky to Shackleton's 1907 expedition. It was built for the 1960s blend boom, its make long destined for the blender's vat.

Drawn from a thick, full bodied wash, giving a full bodied Speyside spirit. Maturation came in a Pedro Ximenez cask, layered over the full GlenAllachie make. In integration coconut and vanilla knit with the malt, the orchard notes deepening to sultana, date and chocolate. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit.

At 59.2%, undiluted, it is dark and full. Date, fig and a warm cinnamon, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. It is full and fruity, the spirit carrying the cask. A long finish carries raisin, chocolate and a treacle. This is a full bodied Speyside single malt of real richness.