Speyside distillery GlenAllachie has revealed its autumn release of single cask expressions bottled exclusively for the UK market.
The next batch of bottlings consists of six cask strength single malts, all specially selected by hailed Master Distiller Billy Walker from among the 50,000 casks held on-site at the distillery’s warehouses in Aberlour.
The single cask bottlings include:
- An antique 32-year-old Pedro Ximénez sherry puncheon (RRSP £625, 55.8% ABV) which delivers sophisticated notes of dark chocolate tart, ripe figs, treacle and eucalyptus.
- A 15-year-old Rioja barrique (RRSP £115, 60.5% ABV) hailing from Spain’s most renowned wine-producing region, resulting in a whisky brimming with raspberry coulis, sugared almonds and nutmeg.
- A 15-year-old Tawny Port pipe (RRSP £115, 60.7% ABV) which enriches GlenAllachie’s classic heather honey charm with full-bodied, fruity tones.
- A rich 14-year-old Pedro Ximénez hogshead (RRSP £110, 60.3% ABV) which has imparted an indulgent mocha depth, alongside sweet cinnamon and subtle ginger.
- A Chinquapin virgin oak barrel (RRSP £105, 58.3% ABV) sourced from Missouri and air-dried for nearly four years, this 13-year-old single malt reveals orchard fruits, stem ginger and lemon meringue pie.
- A vibrant 12-year-old Marsala barrel (RRSP £99, 58.0% ABV) which previously held sweet dessert wine from the ancient Sicilian city of Marsala, bestowing tropical fruits and salted caramel notes upon the bronze malt.
All the bottles are hand-numbered, and offered at cask strength, natural colour and are non chill filtered.
Each single cask whisky showcases Billy’s renowned expertise in wood management, steering the unique interaction of wood, spirit and subsequent flavour development, which has been gained during his almost 50-year-long career in the whisky industry.
Billy said: ‘We’ve curated these special single casks exclusively for our valued UK retail partners and consumers. Exploring the unique interaction between the GlenAllachie spirit and different types of oak cask, each expression has its own incredibly unique DNA.
‘The journey from the depth and refinement of the vintage 1989 Pedro Ximénez puncheon, with its glazed fig and mocha elegance, to the rare 2009 Marsala barrel, which reveals ripe mango, demerara sugar and grapefruit peel is incredibly powerful. The wonder of wood never ceases to fascinate!’
This passion for exploring innovative cask types is also reflected in the distillery’s brand-new single cask bottling produced for the Spirit of Speyside Festival 2021, which is running until November 8.
The fifteen-year-old single malt began its maturation journey in a fresh ex-Bourbon cask, before being re-racked into a first-fill Sherry hogshead, then finally into an American oak cask which previously held peated whisky distilled at The GlenAllachie, bestowing an intriguing twist on the classic GlenAllachie style. This experimental expression is available now, exclusively from the distillery’s on-site shop.
The GlenAllachie’s collection of UK Single Casks is available from specialist retailers across the country now. Further information on the distillery and company can be found at www.theglenallachie.com
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