GLENALLACHIE UK SINGLE CASKS PLUS SPIRIT OF SPEYSIDE BOTTLING REVEALED

New batch of UK Single Casks unveiled as the Scotch whisky distillery gears up for the hotly anticipated Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 2022

The GlenAllachie Distillery today launches a trio of expressions forming batch 6 of their UK-exclusive Single Cask Single Malt Scotch Whiskies, alongside a distillery-exclusive bottling for this year’s Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, which will run from 27^th of April to the 2^nd of May 2022.

The Aberlour-based distillery, headed up by industry veteran Billy Walker, took home Visitor Attraction of the Year 2022 at the Icons of Whisky Awards.

Renowned for releasing rare and ground-breaking expressions thanks to Walker’s unparalleled wood management prowess, each cask was selected from an inventory spanning over 50,000 casks maturing within 16 on-site warehouses.

The four new Single Cask Single Malts released include:

• The GlenAllachie 15-year-old Cask #3292 ex-Solera Oloroso Butt (Spirit of Speyside 2022)
• The GlenAllachie 11-year-old Cask #1036 Premier Cru Classé Barrique
• The GlenAllachie 10-year-old Cask #5368 Tawny Port Hogshead
• The GlenAllachie 9-year-old Cask #806890 Peated Bourbon Barrel

The GlenAllachie 15-year-old exclusively for the Spirit of Speyside Festival (59.4% ABV, UK RRSP £175) was aged in a fresh Bourbon barrel followed by a first-fill Oloroso puncheon before being re-racked into an antique Oloroso Sherry butt previously used as part of an intricate solera system for 55 long years.

Solera is a maturation process deployed by Bodegas involving fractional blending in such a way that the finished product is a combination of ages, ensuring continuation of flavour profile through each vintage produced.

This incredibly lengthy cask history enabled the wood to impart deeply intense and complex layers of flavour upon the classic GlenAllachie DNA. This sumptuous Single Cask is only available at their distillery shop.

The Premier Cru Classé barrique (59.9% ABV, UK RRSP £100) is a cask which previously matured premium first growth Bordeaux red wine before hosting the GlenAllachie spirit for 11 years. The result is a single malt bursting with Turkish delight, cinnamon stewed apples and summer berries.

The GlenAllachie 10-year-old Port Hogshead (56.5% ABV, UK RRSP £95) delivers a vibrant, fruity flavour profile and ruby blush appearance following maturation in a cask sourced from Portugal which formerly held vintage Tawny Port.

The 9-year-old Single Cask (60.1% ABV, UK RRSP £90) was filled to an ex-Bourbon barrel which was used to age peated spirit distilled at The GlenAllachie Distillery. This very rare cask type has bestowed subtle notes of burnt sugar alongside root ginger and black pepper.

All GlenAllachie Single Casks are proudly presented at their natural colour, non chill filtered and at natural cask strength for maximum flavour and mouthfeel.

Commenting on the new products, Walker remarks:

“At GlenAllachie, we are deeply passionate about sourcing unique and innovative casks, particularly from premium, niche producers. Each of these casks selected reflect this; from the French fine wine barrique to the antique Sherry butt which dates back to the middle of the 20^th Century, each brings considerable character and charm to the table.

“We now look forward with great delight to welcoming whisky fans from across the world to our hidden gem for the Spirit of Speyside Festival, with these spectacular drams getting the limelight they deserve.”

Batch 6 of The GlenAllachie UK Single Casks will be available via specialist retailers across the country from the week commencing 2^nd May, whilst the distillery’s on-site shop will have stock of all four Single Casks from today.

The GlenAllachie 15-year-old Cask #3292 ex-Solera Oloroso Butt (Spirit of Speyside Festival 2022) – 59.4% ABV

• Colour: Intensely Rich Mahogany.
• Nose: Bursting with fig syrup, muscovado sugar and heather honey, with waves of soft spice, dried dark fruits and orange zest.
• Taste: Lashings of honeyed apricots, sticky sultanas and coffee beans, with crystallised ginger, Black Forest gateau and pecan pie.

The GlenAllachie 11-year-old Cask #1036 Premier Cru Classé Barrique – 59.9% ABV

• Colour: Ruby Blush.
• Nose: Bursting with apple peel, cinnamon and heather honey, with rose petals, dark chocolate and Turkish delight.
• Taste: Waves of butterscotch, honeysuckle and mint, followed by bursts of strawberry, ginger and almonds.

The GlenAllachie 10-year-old Cask #5368 Tawny Port Hogshead – 56.5% ABV

• Colour: Deep Cherry Red.
• Nose: Waves of orchard fruit, honeycomb and strawberry coulis, with almonds, maple syrup ginger and pineapple.
• Taste: Layers of dried berries, cinnamon and heather honey, followed by notes of soft spice, pecans and rose petals.

The GlenAllachie 9-year-old Cask #806890 Peated Bourbon Barrel – 60.1% ABV

• Colour: Golden Sunset.
• Nose: Layers of smoked pine nuts, ginger and cigar box, followed by heather honey, soft spice and burnt brown sugar.
• Taste: Lashings of butterscotch, ginger and toasted almonds, with delicate notes of caramelised sugar, dark chocolate and black pepper.