Glenallachie Single Cask 13 Years Old 2012

A 13 year old GlenAllachie, a distillery bottling, from 2012, cask 11880, at 52.4%, 130 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 founded in 1967, designed by the architect William Delme Evans, his fourth distillery after Jura and Tullibardine. Its stills were doubled from two to four within months of opening, the lyne arms angled down for a fuller spirit.

Taken gently through wash and spirit stills, for a full make built to take active wood. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak gentle behind the spirit. By the integrating teens the raw notes fade and esters build, the rich spirit growing rounder and darker. 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. Maturation runs slow and even in the on site dunnage warehouses at Aberlour.

At a hearty 52.4% it carries real weight. Baked apple, honey and a dark chocolate, over a gentle, creamy oak. It is full and fruity, the spirit carrying the cask. Dried fruit, spice and a soft oak see it out. This is a rich, sherried Speyside single malt.