Glenallachie Single Cask – The Master Blender’s European Collection 12 Years Old 2013 (Cask 4385)

A 12 year old GlenAllachie, a distillery bottling, from 2013, cask 4385, at 61.7%, 344 bottles in all. GlenAllachie is a Speyside single malt from the hills above Aberlour, below Ben Rinnes. It matures its spirit in sixteen dunnage warehouses on the distillery site at Aberlour. Its stills were doubled from two to four within months of opening, the lyne arms angled down for a fuller spirit.

The spirit was distilled to a full, generous cut, for a full make built to take active wood. A bourbon barrel held it, the wood adding a soft honey over the fruit. By the integrating teens the raw notes fade and esters build, the rich spirit growing rounder and darker. 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. The wood frames the spirit without ever stripping the full Speyside body.

At a natural 61.7% it is full and rich. Raisin, chocolate and a warm spice, over a gentle, creamy oak. Dried fruit and a treacle sit behind the spice. Dried fruit, spice and a soft oak see it out. This is a full bodied Speyside single malt of real richness.