Glenallachie Single Cask 13 Years Old 2010 (Cask 804032)

A 13 year old GlenAllachie, a distillery bottling, from 2010, cask 804032, at 58%, 688 bottles in all. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt, the home distillery of master distiller Billy Walker. Its stills were doubled from two to four within months of opening, the lyne arms angled down for a fuller spirit. It was built by Mackinlay McPherson, the firm that supplied whisky to Shackleton's 1907 expedition. It was mothballed in 1985 and reopened in 1989, a modern distillery by Speyside standards.

It was taken gently through wash and spirit stills, for the rich, sherried make GlenAllachie is known for. It was matured in a Pedro Ximenez cask, the wood working deep into the malt. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin rounding out as esters lend riper orchard fruit and a chocolate depth. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit.

At a hearty 58% it carries real weight. Orange, raisin and a treacle edge, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. Fig, honey and a dark chocolate fill the middle. It finishes long, full and fruity. This is GlenAllachie's deep, fruity Speyside style.