GlenAllachie 12yo (new virgin oak finish 2020 release)

Speyside

70cl / 48%

£63

Water source                Ben Rinnes Springs

Stills                                 2 x wash stills and 2 x spirit stills

Capacity per year         4m ltrs pa but reduced under new owners to 500k ltrs as surplus and wanted to concentrate on producing single malt

Distillery

New – 1967 built ; changed ownership; 2001 Chivas ; 2017 consortium headed by Master Blender Billy Walker

When they acquired the distillery in October 2017, we were extremely fortunate to obtain a vast amount of aged stock dating as far back as the 1970’s. 16 warehouses - 50,000 casks on site

Scottish Distillery of the Year award at the inaugural Scottish Whisky Awards 2019 - one of the few independently owned distilleries in Scotland.

Whisky

Traditionally sherry influenced:

New range though in 2020 – finished off in either Spanish, French or Chinquapin (N American chestnut) 3 distinct flavour difference between each of these whiskies. In terms of flavour intensity from low to high, it goes from the Spanish to the French and then the Chinquapin.

One of three whiskies released by GlenAllachie for its Virgin Oak Series in late 2020, this one having enjoyed a finishing period in Spanish oak casks. Specifically, the oak was sourced from the Cantabrian Mountains in Northern Spain, and was air dried for around 18 months before the casks were filled.

The 12-year-old Spanish Virgin Oak (RRP £59.99), is finished in hogsheads made of Spanish Oak (Quercus Robur) sourced from the Cantabrian Mountains in Northern Spain which have a cooler climate and greater humidity than the rest of Spain.

Before being filled, the wood is air dried for around 18 months, opening up the oak for the GlenAllachie spirit to extract its flavours. This process produces a whisky with waves of heather honey, treacle, coconut and orange zest.

 

MoM:

Nose: Coconut ice, honeycomb and fresh orange, shortly followed by some ginger warmth.

Palate: Ginger continues, now with cinnamon and white pepper in tow. Spicy notes are mellowed by waves of chocolate and milky coffee.

Finish: Nutmeg and coffee again on the finish.