Glenallachie Single Cask 11 Years Old 2009 (Cask 5691)

This official GlenAllachie, an 11 year old, from 2009, cask 5691, at 56.7%, a festival bottling. 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 was founded in 1967, designed by the architect William Delme Evans, his fourth distillery after Jura and Tullibardine. It was built for the 1960s blend boom, its make long destined for the blender's vat.

Taken gently through wash and spirit stills, for a thick, ester rich spirit the casks then deepen. A Pedro Ximenez cask held it, drawing the rich spirit on over the years. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin rounding out as esters lend riper orchard fruit and a chocolate depth. The casks are picked closely, the wood matched to the rich GlenAllachie make. The wood frames the spirit without ever stripping the full Speyside body.

At a hearty 56.7% it carries real weight. Baked apple, honey and a dark chocolate, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. Beneath it run dried fruit, dark sugar and a warm spice. The finish is long, rich and spiced. This is a dark, fruity Speyside single malt.