May 27, 2015

Glenallachie, a wee verticale

Another ‘little’ malt we’re very keen on (because it’s little, precisely), Glenallachie. Enough with Macallan, Bowmore or Springbank, let’s have Speyburns, Deanstons, Glenburgies, Glendullans or, for that matter, Glenallachies! Wait, I have an even better proposal, let’s do a proper Glenallachie verticale. Game?

Glenallachie 6 yo 2008/2014 (54.7%, Duncan Taylor, Dimensions, cask #900699, 351 bottles)

I know, you’re wondering why someone bottled a 6 yo Glenallachie as a single malt and is selling it for 77€ a bottle. Let’s see… Colour: pale white wine. Nose: no. Raw, immature, with pears and yogurt plus yogurt and pears. Having said that, the whiffs of sauvignon are pleasant (bone dry Sancerre). But not too convinced so far. With water: ale, pear spirit, kirsch. Raw young malt whisky straight from its barrel (in the warehouse). Mouth (neat): new make. Good new make but new make. Kirschenwasser, zwetschke, barley, grapefruits. With water: sweet barley, malty, pearish. Finish: same, plus a touch of lemon. Comments: it’s another trend we’re seeing these days, malt spirit taken almost as white as white rum, mezcal or tequila. Why not, but of course not at 77€ a bottle. No, cask strength doesn’t do it. SGP:531 - 71 points.

Glenallachie 17 yo 1996/2013 (43%, Signatory Vintage, casks 5238+5239, 792 bottles)

Always liked this humble series, always very fairly priced. Colour: white wine. Nose: not much happening. Hay and grass and apple peelings. That isn’t much, but.. hold on, I seem to get herbs, myrtle, juniper… Even bay leaves. It’s whispering, and as Art Blakey would have said, it’s whispering low, but that adds some dimension. Mouth: sweet, easy, fruity, simple, pleasantly fruity malt whisky. Fruit salad plus Demerara sugar, tinned pear juice, green tea and sweet bread. This is well malt whisky. Finish: medium, malty and fruity. Comments: good to season some fruit salad, or to quaff on ice with slices of kiwi. Maybe. Not mindboggling but very honest and loyal. SGP:541 - 78 points.

Glenallachie 18 yo 1995/2014 (46%, Càrn Mor, hogshead, 587 bottles)

Two casks. Colour: straw. Nose: exactly the same profile as that of the Signatory. Perhaps a tad more leafy/rooty? And maybe a tad more beerish as well. Green bananas. Mouth: same. Plain malt whisky ex-refill wood, without much character, but with a pleasant, err, maltiness. Nothing bad to say against this one, but I’m not sure I’ll remember it tomorrow. Unless I start to read my own very lousy prose, which would start to become scary. So, this is malt whisky of moderate age (feels like 8), of which they must have 10 million casks sleeping in central Scotland. Finish: good length, sweet, malty. Comments: very good, just a little boring, IMHO. What was that again? SGP:551 - 79 points.

So, what do you need to make most malt whiskies interesting? That’s right, time… (no, don’t always listen to our friends the brand ambassadors, of course flavours are more important than age, but it’s age that makes flavours! That’s what I think, at least…)

Glenallachie 37 yo 1973/2010 (46%, Mo Or Collection, bourbon hogshead, cask #6746, 266 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: b.i.n.g.o. I mean, bingo. Makes you want to kiss Chronos. Stunning notes of old earthy teas, tropical fruits aplenty (green bananas, papayas, proper avocado), waxed papers, cigars, pot-pourri, old leather jacket, Connolly leather polish (whatever), white chocolate, chamomile tea (and while I’m at it, manzanilla, which means chamomile anyway in Spanish), bandages and embrocations… A great, great nose. Mouth: perfect from Perfect’s. Astounding combination with herbal teas, rather green tropical fruits, soft spices, more herbs, plantains, cough syrup, chartreuse, Bénédictine, verbena… and green anise, cardamom… Whoo-hoo-hoo, some ride, especially after the young ‘mundaners’. Finish: quite long, slightly briny, very complex, spicy, mentholy, medicinal… Comments: a beauty, an ode to age and to time, and more proof that any distillery can make some world-shattering spirit, providing you give it… time. And yeah, time is money (wow, S., you’ve outdone yourself on that one!), SGP:651 - 92 points.

I had planned to stop this session here, but that little 1973 was too good, let’s have another one if you don’t mind…

Glenallachie 38 yo 1973/2011 (50.4%, The Whisky Agency, bourbon barrel, 218 bottles)

Always watch The Whisky Agency on ‘little names’, they’re very good at that. Nah, forget about that Inchmoan… Colour: gold. Nose: I’m afraid it’s pretty much the same whisky. A shame and a glory. Stunning leafy, medicinal, earthy, muddy notes that combine so well with the tropical fruits (slightly unripe ones)… What a tango! Mouth: honeydew, papaya juice, grapefruits, lime, cough medicine, skins and zests, green walnuts, grass. A touch of rubbery wax. Finish: that’s where it gets a little more problematic, the grassy side tends to take over and to make it a little acrid and, well, too green and even a little plasticine-y. A pity and a shame, otherwise we’d have had an utter winner. Comments: the name’s Glenallachie. All you need is 38 years and you almost reach perfection. Almost. SGP:561 - 89 points.

Check the index of all Glenallachie I've tasted so far