First Batch of Single Casks Released

Whisky fans in the UK and worldwide can now explore the full spectrum of spirit being created at The GlenAllachie Distillery with the release of a series of Single Cask Editions, its first batches of single casks specially selected for different markets and retailers.

Master Distiller Billy Walker has personally chosen  a selection of casks that showcase the GlenAllachie spirit in a variety of different ages, flavour profiles and cask types. Eight of the specially selected Single Casks will be available exclusively in the UK, with the remainder being released across key export markets including Europe, Asia and the USA.

THE EIGHT UK CASKS

Ranging in age from 10 to 29 years old, eight Single Casks have been specially selected for the UK by Walker, who bought the distillery near Aberlour in Speyside with his business partners Graham Stevenson and Trisha Savage, in October 2017.  Each of the single casks is bottled at natural strength, with no added colouring and unchilfiltered to enhance the flavour.

The following eight single casks are available exclusively in the UK from specialist retailers

1989 cask # 100073 / 60.1% / Sherry Butt – £300

• Colour: Rich Mahogany
• Nose: Heather honey and mocha enriched with hints of sweet spices, pears and mint.
• Taste: Dark chocolate, toffee and bananas with sweet spices and hints of orange zest and mocha.

1989 cask # 101040 / 54.7% / Hogshead – £275

• Colour: Very Rich Mahogany
• Nose: Pineapples, bananas, heather honey and dark chocolate.
• Taste: Lashings of bananas, dates, damsons, heather honey with cinnamon and dark chocolate.

1990 cask # 620 / 60.7% / Bourbon Barrel – £275

• Colour: Golden Bronze
• Nose: Mix of heather honey, pears and orange peel with hint of mocha
• Taste: Lashings of heather honey, with pears, rosehips, orange peel and hints of dark chocolate.

2005 cask # 16095 / 59.4% / Bourbon Barrel – £85

• Colour: Golden
• Nose: Orange zest, with blackberries, mocha and hint of mint.
• Taste: Big heather honey, blackberries, damsons and orange peel with hint of dark chocolate.

2006 cask # 27979 / 62.4% / Bourbon Barrel – £79

• Colour: Golden
• Nose: Green apples, heather, honey and vanilla.
• Taste: Lashings of heather honey, damsons and rose hips.

2006 cask # 896 / 61.7% / Virgin Oak Barrel – £79

• Colour: Rich Bronze
• Nose: Heather honey and butterscotch with blackberries.
• Taste: Big presence of heather honey, butterscotch and damsons, with hints of orange zest and mocha.

2007 cask # 1856 / 60.0% / Port Pipe – £75

• Colour: Rich Ruby
• Nose: Fresh orange peel, layered with figs, cocoa and sweet spices.
• Taste: Lashings of heather honey, cocoa, Christmas cake and orange zest, with sweet spices.

2008 cask # 24829 / 60.1% / Bourbon Barrel – £71

• Colour: Golden Bronze
• Nose: Candy floss with dark chocolate, rosehips and mint.
• Taste: Honey and butterscotch, with damsons, dark chocolate and light tannins.

HUGE RANGE OF CASKS AND FLAVOURS

In the past, GlenAllachie, which was built in 1968, was primarily producing whisky for blends. But Walker has been meticulously exploring the distillery’s stocks to hand-pick casks reflecting the spectrum of spirit being created.

He said: “When we purchased GlenAllachie, I had the great pleasure of reviewing our stock across the warehouses and I was delighted to discover an array of outstanding casks.

“I’ve been in this business for a long time and there’s no better feeling than sampling from single casks and discovering so many different flavours from so many different wood types,

“The distillery produces a rich full bodied spirit which works well across a variety of different casks and ages, this is what I wanted to show with the batch of casks I’ve chosen for the UK and our export partners. With over 50,000 casks of GlenAllachie now in stock maturing across a vast range of wood styles, there is so much more to come.”