Reviewing the new GlenAllachie Distillery Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Range

let’s begin

Having recently been bought from Pernod Ricard by the GlenAllachie Distillers Company, the GlenAllachie Distillery has a diverse and exciting core range, curated by Master Distiller Billy Walker.

The Brand

Relatively young, GlenAllachie Distillery was founded in 1967, specifically for making malt that would be used in blends. It was built by MacKinley McPherson and designed by William Delme-Evans, who was well known for creating great distilleries, having already designed Jura and Tullibardine.

It’s changed companies in the decades since, but has come rest in the hands of Billy Walker and the GlenAllachie Distillers Company. Bringing together a range of investors, including Trisha Savage, who has previously worked for Burn Stewart and BenRiach, as well as Graham Stevenson, previous Managing Director of Inver Hours Distillers, the enterprise looks set for a successful future.

Lets take a closer look at their core range, and you’ll see why.

The GlenAllachie Distillery Range

10 year old

Bottle cost: £54.95

Crafted from the casks Walker found at the distillery when he first arrived, this 10 Year Old has been bottled at cask strength. Batch 1 has been limited to 2,000 cases.

The nose opens with lots of light floral notes and a lovely oaky background. Rose petals, honey and apple blossom all appear.

These combine well and make for a really earthy dram. The honey is rich and smooth, pairing well with the floral notes.

The palate is smooth and oaky. Lots of wooded notes come out, with a soft vanilla background as well. Citrus fruits, toasted white sugar and spicy rum notes abound, bringing a little bit of warmth and zest to the taste. These are really lively flavours with a lot of body to them.

The mouth feel is smooth and flows with the honey notes, which last from nose to finish. The oak wood is also quite soft and smooth.

The finish is long and bold. Lots more citrus notes appear with one final dash of oak wood.

12 year old

Bottle cost: £41.95

The 12 Year Old expression was released earlier this year (2018) and has been matured in three different casks, oloroso sherry, Pedro Ximenez and virgin oak. This combination makes for a spicy and sweet dram, with loads of oak flavours.

The nose starts off with tropical fruits such as pineapple, banana and mango. These are slightly tart, but rich, with lots of flavour.

Vanilla, treacle and toffee also come out, with a luxurious sweetness. The oak can be detected in all of these, giving them a lovely earthy richness.

The palate is thick and elegant. More vanilla and fruit flavours appear and mingle perfectly together. Sweet nuts such as almonds and pecans also unveil themselves, adding a little bit of depth to the dram. these go well with the vanilla and oak notes.

Overall the body of the dram is really wonderful, bringing in some big, bold fruit and oak flavours. They work well, with the wood complementing the tangy notes of the fruit.

The finish is strong, with more oak and a little bit of almond and citrus fruit.

18 year old

Bottle cost: £94.95

Aged in a similar fashion to the 12 Year Old, but replacing the virgin oak casks with American oak casks, this dram is full of sweet spices.

The nose begins with butterscotch and toffee. These are thick and easy going, with a little bit of a caramel edge to them.

Cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves also join in, giving a nice warmth to the dram. These spices bring the sweeter notes to life and really pick them up.

The palate has a darker edge, with dark fruits such as cherries and blackcurrants giving it a nice bite. There is also a gentle bitterness of coffee and dark chocolate appearing.

The bitterness really highlights the butterscotch and toffee flavours and adds depth to the fruity notes. This is quite an earthy dram, with a wonderful richness to the body. Dried fruits and almonds give it a lovely chewy texture and go perfectly with the sweet notes.

The finish is full of nutty flavours and a little hint of dark chocolate.

25 year old

Bottle cost: £235

The last in the core range is a really brilliant 25 Year Old. This dram has been matured in oloroso sherry and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks.

It builds on all of the brilliance of the 18 Year Old and is the perfect combination of fruit and spices.

The nose opens with crystallised oranges and dried fruits. There is a little hint of cinnamon that adds a bit of warmth as well.

Oak wood is also very present. It is slightly sweet, almost like vanilla, and combines well with the cinnamon.

The palate is sweet and dense. It has a very full body, with lots of chocolate, marzipan, hazelnut spread and vanilla. Citrus fruits and pineapples are also there, adding a bit of zest to the flavour.

The oak is lively and bounces off the sweeter notes. It brings out the vanilla very well and wraps everything up very nicely.

The finish is packed with this oaky note, and a little hint of cinnamon to finish with a bit of warmth.

The GlenAllachie Distillery range is fresh and exciting. They combine all the best flavours and allow each one to shine independently. Take a look if you’re hunting for your next favourite dram. One thing I do wish though is that they had spent a few extra quid on their packaging… missed opportunity to stand out and make a statement in my opinion, sadly it lets the range down in its current guise.

Tags: 10-Year-Old12 year-old18-Year-OldGlenAllachieThe GlenAllachie Range

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.