
May 20, 2016

Little duets, today Glenallachie vs. Glenallachie

Oh I so like the underdogs no one is interested in ;-). This isn’t going to be a hit on Facebook, but just between us, who cares? (I know some attention whores do care, but both you and I are well above that, aren’t we?)

Glenallachie 20 yo 1995/2015 (52.3%, Liquid Sun, bourbon)

Colour: white wine. Nose: a Speysider ex-refill wood. So fruits and a few wild flowers. And plenty of malted barley, beyond the apples and the dandelions. A little fresh bread as well, I mean, real bread, not these square industrial things used to make those dreaded club sandwiches. With water: barnyard. There. Mouth (neat): simple and good, good and simple. Very barleyish, plus apples drizzled with lemon syrup. With water: rounder, fatter, fruitier, more citrusy. Swims extremely well, without becoming as complex as… well, a 40 yo Speysider ex-refill sherry. Finish: medium, clean, sweet. Apples and barley. Comments: one of the millions of such casks they have over there in Scotland, but it’s really good! SGP:451 - 81 points.

Glenallachie 22 yo 1993/2015 (57.3%, The Warehouse Collection, bourbon hogshead, cask #5077, 244 bottles)

Colour: straw. Nose: a drier one, with more leaves and fresh almonds. A little mint as well, green tea, perhaps linseed oil… More complex, seemingly, but it’ll all happen on the palate. With water: shortbread and tinned peaches. Mouth: the wood was more active, there’s more coconut and vanilla. That works well. Some tangerines, white pepper, angelica, sweet fresh butter, perhaps a drop of pineapple juice… This is very pleasant! Some parts remind me of ex-bourbon Aberlour. With water: very good malty fruitiness, partly citrusy, partly orchardy. That would be a western orchard, say in Kent ;-). Finish: medium, clean, fresh, fruity. Comments: I’m not sure I’ll remember this cask forever, but it does the job and it does it very well. Extremely quaffable. SGP:551 - 84 points.

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

Pete McPeat and Jack Washback