GlenAllachie 9 Y.o. Amontillado sherry wood collection Vol.48% Cl.70

The GleAllachie Amontillado sherry 9-year-old from the "wood collection" series is the driest, most full-bodied, most fragrant, yet highest-quality single malt from the Scottish distillery, aged entirely in Spanish oak ex-Ammontillado sherry casks.

The "wood finish Glenallachie whisky" series is a small, limited annual edition, created from a selection of the finest oak casks from across Europe and America, previously used to hold other spirits.

GlenAllachie's 9-year-old Speyside single malt Scotch whisky with an "Ammontillado sherry wood finish" was released in mid-2021 after Billy Walker took over the distillery in 2017 and began his experiments with refining Glenallachie whisky.

This new single malt series features this whisky matured in ex-Ammontillado sherry casks, resulting in a well-balanced, ethereal yet intense single malt with an elegant aromatic profile.

The GlenAllachie distillery was founded in the 1930s in the verdant Scottish valley of Speyside. Its ownership has been passed down from father to son, making it, to this day, an independent business much loved by whisky fans.

So much so that the GlenAllachie distillery is being hailed as the future legendary distillery of the 21st century, on par with, and even competing with, Springbank.

The name GlenAllachie derives from the Gaelic "gleann aileachaidh" and can be translated as "valley of rocks." Despite its young age (founded in 1967) and some periods of mothballing, the distillery boasts a base of 40,000 casks, carefully selected for the production of this single malt.

A special feature of GlenAllachie whiskies is that pumps are not used to avoid damaging the fermented product and the distillate!

The GlenAllachie 9 Year Ammontillado Sherry Wood Finish is a limited edition from the new distillery.

Amontillado sherry differs from fino sherry and oloroso sherry because, after a period of aging under flor, under a veil of yeast like fino sherry, it is exposed to air, making it slightly darker and more complex.

This Sherry, a fortified wine produced in the Jerez region of Spain, undergoes an aging process during which the yeast layer dissolves, allowing oxidation and the development of more complex flavors.

Palate: Dry, with notes of hazelnut and wood, and greater complexity than the Fino.

Tasting Notes:

Color: Bronze.

Nose: Distinct fruit notes, ranging from apples to pears, both in the form of a velvety puree. A sweet note of heather honey, followed by delicate toasted nuts, primarily hazelnuts, but also hints of walnut tart.

This last aroma, reminiscent of artisanal pastry, blends harmoniously with a dense butter. Overall, a fruity and creamy nose, albeit less complex than its "twin" Glenallachie 9 Year Old Oloroso sherry.

The Amontillado influences are less evident than I would have hoped, emerging only subtly.

Palate: Very consistent with the nose, it tends to present fruity notes, walnuts, and hazelnuts, with the latter being more pronounced than the nose. It maintains the same creaminess and freshness, making it very drinkable.

Here too, however, the Sherry influence is rather ethereal, with a greater predominance of the ex-Bourbon cask.

Finish: Medium, well-balanced, and clean, grafted onto the toasted nuts and fruit already detected on the nose and palate.