Glenallachie 11yo 1989/2001 (61.7%, Cadenhead’s, Bourbon HHD, 312 Bts.)

Another independent bottling however this time from the respected company of William Cadenhead of Campbeltown, Argyll and part of the same company that owns Springbank distillery and Glengyle Distillery. A nice dark golden hue and thick fat slow legs, the nose is quite strong, loads of alcohol, some sweetness and hints of spicy oak, after a short while in the glass some vey good vanilla, cocoa and bourbon notes come to the fore. With more and more time in the glass these only increase and these notes are very pleasant. So far so good. Diluted the aromas expand significantly to reveal fruit and then there’s a dash back to the undiluted nose of cocoa, fruit (tinned fruit salad in syrup) along with the spicy oak notes and hints of green malt. The undiluted nose is more fragrant and sweet and the diluted is more oaky and syrupy.  The taste undiluted is strong with bees wax, sweet syrup, mild tobacco, hints of malt and chocolate, lychee, light Hessian and finally some oaky spiciness. Delicious. Diluted it’s much mellower and sweet with mild oak notes and then the fruit and vanilla, the oak pops up a little at the end and it is still delicious. The finish is sweet at first followed by some vanilla and oak followed by the dry malt and then some sweet dessert wine and oak and spice. A brilliant blending of the spicy oak, fruit and vanilla. The finish is very long…..and very good.

What a grand dram. Find a bottle if you can! This is really good whisky.

Score 88 Points

US$80 at Binny’s