This quarter we are featuring a release from The GlenAllachie Distillery. Founded in 1967, this little-known Speyside distillery once specialized blends. Since it was revived by Master Distiller Billy Walker in 2017, the distillery has shifted focus to creating single malt whiskies, winning the Scottish Whisky Awards' Distillery of the Year prize only two years later. With the GlenAllachie 15, you'll notice its stunning, almost maple syrup-like color; this is the natural result of its aging process -- not one drop of color additives involved. Rich and luxurious without being sweet, this GlenAllachie single malt is the perfect treat to hold you over through the holiday season.
Slàinte!
Brendon Pineda
Beer and Spirits Enthusiast
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GlenAllechie is one of the Speyside distilleries in the Northeast of Scotland. Roughly half of all Scotland’s whisky is made in this region (you may know other famous Speyside distilleries such as Glenfiddich and Glenlivet). Speyside single malts are known for their floral, fruity, and nutty flavors; the purity of flavor is thought to come from the area’s water, which reportedly has the lowest levels of mineral of any area in Scotland. While GlenAllachie is a powerhouse in the whisky world these days, it wasn’t always this way. It was founded during the Scotch boom of the late 1960s, when skyrocketing American demand for Scotch spawned dozens of distilleries across Scotland. GlenAllachie never quite became a household name; in fact, most of its whisky went to blends sold under another name. In 2017, GlenAllachie underwent a transformation at the hands of Master Distiller Billy Walker. Walker implemented several key changes to turn GlenAllachie into the acclaimed single malt distillery it is today: he reduced GlenAllechie’s runs by a factor of four; he extended fermentation to a full 160 hours -- about twice as long as American bourbon producers. The result is a truly exquisite spirit. Tasting Notes: This non-chill filtered whisky shows a viscous bronze maple-syrup like color. Its natural color is attributed to the aging of the whisky in ex-sherry casks (Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso Sherry to be precise). Aromas of honey, jasmine tea, chocolate ice cream, pound cake, and cardamom spice. On the palate, a soft and rich entry with hints of ginger, butterscotch, orange peel, dark chocolate and oak spice. A whisky perfect for the holidays, an approachable dram easy to enjoy. |
