Glenallachie Single Cask 30 Years Old 1990 (Cask 3605)

A 30 year old GlenAllachie, a distillery bottling, from 1990, cask 3605, at 56%, 298 bottles in all. GlenAllachie is a rich, sherried Speyside malt from Aberlour, built on full bodied spirit and active casks. It matures its spirit in sixteen dunnage warehouses on the distillery site at Aberlour. Its water is the Lochnagar Burn, drawn down from the slopes of Ben Rinnes. It was built by Mackinlay McPherson, the firm that supplied whisky to Shackleton's 1907 expedition.

The spirit was worked unhurried through the stillhouse, giving a full bodied Speyside spirit. Maturation came in a Madeira cask, layered over the full GlenAllachie make. At a great, fragile age oxidation rules, sotolon lending maple and dried fig as beeswax and old leather linger. 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.

At a hearty 56% it carries real weight. A deep, dark sweetness, with a nutty, raisined sweetness from the cask. The mouthfeel is full and coating, the fruit dark and sweet. A long finish carries raisin, chocolate and a treacle. This is a Speyside single malt of real standing.