Glenallachie Single Cask 12 Years Old 2009 (Cask 5857)

A 12 year old GlenAllachie, a distillery bottling, from 2009, cask 5857, at 58%, 294 bottles in all. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt, founded in 1967 below Ben Rinnes near Aberlour. It was mothballed in 1985 and reopened in 1989, a modern distillery by Speyside standards. It runs unusually long fermentations, up to a hundred and sixty hours, for a thick, ester rich and fruity spirit.

The spirit was run slowly off the spirit still, for a thick, ester rich spirit the casks then deepen. It was fully matured in a Marsala cask, the wood deep in the rich spirit. In integration coconut and vanilla knit with the malt, the orchard notes deepening to sultana, date and chocolate. The casks are picked closely, the wood matched to the rich GlenAllachie make. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time.

At 58%, undiluted, it is dark and full. Orange, raisin and a treacle edge, with a raisined, herbal sweetness from the cask. The body is full and rich, the fruit deep and dark. A long finish carries raisin, chocolate and a treacle. This is a rich, sherried Speyside single malt.