£180

This single cask Glenallachie 2007 was drawn from new oak and bottled exclusively for The Whisky Exchange. You will find aromas of pecan pie, demerara sugar and fallen leaves, give way to sawn oak, cinder toffee and cashew. The palate is rich and textured, with orange cake, masala chai and gingerbread leading into salted butter, dark chocolate and a warming touch of red chilli.

Tasting Notes ~ Billy Abbott, The Whisky Exchange

Nose Cherry cake with cinnamon, nutmeg and clove to start. Cla sweetness builds along with dessicated coconut, crystallised ginger, raisins, sultanas and baked apples. Creamy vanilla develops along with crème brûlée.

Palate Sharp apple sauce, baked apples with brown sugar and creamy custard. Spice then rolls in, with more brown sugar cut with the cinnamon, nutmeg and clove from the nose, as well as a touch of black pepper. Dark sweetness sits underneath: sticky ginger cake, spiced sponge cake batter, maraschino cherries and cassis.

Finish Spiced oatmeal and raisin cookies with Granny Smith apples and menthol zinginess.

Made in Speyside

Not every whisky has the body to stand up to new oak and retain a sense of distillery character. But the weight and pronounced fruitiness of modern Glenallachie means it harmonises perfectly with the warm, spicy flavours of fresh American oak. This is a big dram in every sense, not averse to a dash of water, and perfect for sipping with friends after a good meal.

Glenallachie

Celebrated master distiller Billy Walker acquired Glenallachie in 2017 and has since championed its powerful, fruity whisky as a first-rate single malt. His tenure has been marked by a serious investment in casks to create a bold house style that marries weighty spirit with top-quality oak. Glenallachie has since become a cult hit among whisky fans looking for intense Speyside malts with bags of character.