Review by: The Muskox

Glenallachie has become a hot new distillery since master distillery Billy Walker took over in 2017. He’s since implemented his cask program, recasking everything into sherry butts and wine barriques and exotic virgin oaks. Billy’s also stopped the flow of casks to indie bottlers, so peeks into the distillate under the wine influence are becoming more and more rare. I’ve already tried and enjoyed one hogshead-matured Glenallachie – maybe the spirit doesn’t need all the doctoring up!

---

Distillery: Glenallachie.

Bottler: Hart Brothers.

Region: Speyside.

ABV: 57.8%. Cask Strength.

Age: 20 years. Distilled in March 1995. Bottled in September 2015.

Cask type: Unknown.

Price: N/A, sample.

Color: Light gold. Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.

---

Nose: Mature and tropical. Cooked yellow fruits – pineapple, plums, squishy bananas, and some lemon pith. A slight bitter herbal note, which combines with the pineapple to create an almost IPA-like character. Cut softwood and grass. A little creamy and nutty… tahini?

Palate: Medium texture. Creamy and tropical on the arrival – piña colada topped with grated nutmeg. As it develops, lots of varnished oak comes in, the dram starts to dry out a bit and turn slightly darker. Creamy-bitter notes of old pencils, espresso crema, and dark beer. More plums, orange bitters, and pickled ginger. A little salted butter.

Finish: Medium-long, oaky and slightly tart. More lemon pith, some lime wedges, toasted coconut, banana pudding, and toffee. Rum- and brown-sugar-fried pineapple, like my grandma used to make! Compound butter with black pepper and dried herbs.

---

Possible SMWS bottling name: “Locked in a pirate ship’s storeroom”

Conclusion: Big and brash flavours from this one – a mix of tart and bitter, balanced by creaminess and a really delightful tropical character. It’s getting towards the overly-oaked side of things for me personally, but I just can’t resist that amazing piña colada note. Maybe that’s because I just got back from a vacation. Compared to that 26yo “Merlin’s Mystique” Glenallachie, also matured in a non-sherry cask, this is less balanced but punchier and more complex. Otherwise they’re quite similar. Both of them seemed to remind me of my food grandma makes, oddly enough… I think I like them about the same.

Final Score: 85.

---

Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.