Glenallachie Single Cask 13 Years Old 2006

A distillery release of GlenAllachie, a 13 year old, from 2006, cask 26854, at 56.2%, 237 bottles in all. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt, long a blending malt and now a sherry led name in its own right. 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.

Taken gently through wash and spirit stills, for the rich, sherried make GlenAllachie is known for. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanillin and a soft coconut under the malt. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin rounding out as esters lend riper orchard fruit and a chocolate depth. The full spirit deepens with time, the cask drawing out its darker register. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate.

At a hearty 56.2% it carries real weight. Baked apple, honey and a dark chocolate, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Dried fruit and a treacle sit behind the spice. The finish is long, rich and spiced. This is a full bodied Speyside single malt of real richness.