Glenallachie 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Billy Walker's attempt to create "the essence of Speyside" is realised in a new sherry matured expression (reportedly, we have batch number two - the first batch quickly sold out in the UK). All the barrels were sourced from Miguel Martin and filled through 2004 to 2006. Slightly more than half were PX puncheons and butts with the remainder being ex Oloroso. There's also a small addition of 200 litre medium toast virgin oak in the mix. The result is another whisky where the appearance alone will get your appetite going, especially if you're into sherried malts. It pours a fabulous, deep polished mahogany colour and follows through with aromas of orange zest, raisin cake and fruit’n'nut dark chocolate while offering a decent attack at just 46%. Revealing more zesty freshness, gingery warmth and less of the over-the-top opulence of many recent Glenallachies, the flavour ledger tilts towards oloroso here with an almost tart, peel character competing with the PX. Dates, raisins, roasted nuts and an interesting twist of liquorice carry the aftertaste. All up, a solid sherried addition to the distillery’s ever expanding stable that fares best after 5-10 minutes air contact. 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

Other reviews... The nose is fragrant, with spicy red wine, raspberries, ginger, milk chocolate, and nutmeg. Viscous on the palate, with lots of cloves, plus vanilla, raisins, and instant coffee with a slug of sherry in it. Dark chocolate, licorice, and black coffee feature in the finish. Overall, nicely balanced. 88 points - whiskyadvocate.com

...No silly finishes in sight, unless I’m mistaken, so we should be fine. Now they’re mentioning ‘Oloroso & PX Sherry Hogsheads & Puncheons’, I just hope that’s not just flash-flavouring. Colour: dark amber. Nose: nuts, plastics, sour fruits and vegetables, plaster, concrete, grapes, soap. In old-blogger-language, we’d call this ‘intriguing’. Mouth: better, if a little ‘forced’. You feel the finishing, the roasted nuts, the gingery and leafy flavours, all the leather, all the spices, and the nasty PX. Chestnuts, burnt raisins. Finish: long, a little burnt and sour. Comments: interesting but pretty difficult whisky made and promoted by very lovely people, at the top of their game. In other words, any pro, pro-am or am writer’s very, very, and I mean very worst nightmare. But stay tuned... 79 points - whiskyfun.com

Notes from the producers... NOSE: Overflowing with raisins, butterscotch and sweet spices. TASTE: The rainbow of sweet spices, raisins and butterscotch develops to banana, orange peel and dark chocolate.

Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.