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Glenallachie 11 years Premier Cru Classé Finish

malty woody
4.9
(1)€58Scotland, Speyside, Single Malt

Flavours

Whisky character

Fresh
Warm
Mild
Full
Smooth
Spicy

Taste mentions

Facts

Master Distiller Billy Walker went to Bordeaux for the casks behind this bottling. He came back with French oak barriques from one of only five châteaux holding Premier Cru Classé status. The spirit matured in American oak ex-bourbon barrels first. It then sat in that wine wood for more than two years. The long finish shows. Vanilla and caramel from the bourbon casks sit under black fruit, roasted coffee and dark chocolate. Cinnamon and ginger carry the end. Unpeated, non-chill filtered and bottled at 48%, with nothing added for colour.

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About the distillery

Distillery

Glenallachie

Glenallachie distillery is a single malt Scotch whisky distillery located in the Speyside region of Scotland. The distillery was founded in 1967 by Mackinlay McPherson Ltd, and it is currently owned by the Glenallachie Consortium, led by industry veteran Billy Walker. The distillery is situated in the heart of Speyside, near the town of Aberlour, and draws its water from the nearby springs of Ben Rinnes. Glenallachie produces a range of whiskies, including both unpeated and peated expressions, which are aged in a combination of oak casks, including ex-bourbon, sherry, and virgin oak casks.

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148Whiskies on Distilld

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Speyside

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About the Glenallachie 11 years Premier Cru Classé Finish

Glenallachie 11 years Premier Cru Classé Finish is a single malt Scotch whisky from Speyside. The bottling is unpeated, non-chill filtered and carries no added colour. Strength is 48%, which keeps the texture full. Its character comes from two kinds of wood. American oak ex-bourbon barrels did the long, patient work. French oak barriques from Bordeaux handled the last stretch. Eleven years covers both stages. It belongs to the distillery's wine cask series. Master Distiller Billy Walker chose the wood for this release himself, travelling to France to do it. The barriques came from one of only five châteaux holding Premier Cru Classé status. That is the top rung of the Bordeaux classification. They had held full-bodied red wine before the whisky arrived. The spirit then rested in them for more than two years. Roughly 1,800 cases went out worldwide. Vanilla and caramel open the nose, soft and sweet from the bourbon wood. Underneath sit butterscotch, blackcurrant and heather honey. The palate turns darker and drier. Roasted coffee and dark chocolate lead, with a malty, cereal weight behind them. Toasted oak and spice hold the middle together. Black cherry and crème de cassis run through it all. Cinnamon builds towards the end. The finish is warm, with ginger and a last flick of woody spice. Wine finishes are common in Scotch. Bordeaux Premier Cru Classé barriques are not. That single detail separates Glenallachie 11 years Premier Cru Classé Finish from the rest of the wine series. Two years is long for a finish. The wine is not a thin veneer here. It shapes the middle of the whisky. At 48% and non-chill filtered, none of that richness gets stripped out. With 1,800 cases made, it is not a bottle that waits around.