Glenallachie Single Cask 11 Years Old 2011 (Cask 801059)

This official GlenAllachie, an 11 year old, from 2011, cask 801059, at 62.5%, 731 bottles in all. GlenAllachie is a deep, dark Speyside malt of dried fruit, chocolate and spice. It was mothballed in 1985 and reopened in 1989, a modern distillery by Speyside standards. It was designed almost entirely gravity fed, an efficient plant for its time. It matures its spirit in sixteen dunnage warehouses on the distillery site at Aberlour.

The spirit was run slowly off the spirit still, for a full make built to take active wood. An Oloroso cask held it, drawing the rich spirit on over the years. By the integrating teens the raw notes fade and esters build, the rich spirit growing rounder and darker. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate.

Bottled at a cask strength 62.5%, it is deep and concentrated. Baked apple, honey and a dark chocolate, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. The mouthfeel is full and coating, the fruit dark and sweet. The close is rich and dark, fruit over a warm spice. This is a deep, sherried Speyside single malt.