GlenAllachie 12 Year Old French Oak

French oak from France. The spirit spent most of its time in American bourbon barrels, with an 18-month finish in virgin French oak casks that were air-dried for 15 months. Nose: Honey, orange. Palate: Heather honey, coffee, earthy, like a damp basement. Finish: Coffee, a slightly bitter grapefruit, and a long, numbing sensation. Like the rest of the virgin oak selection, the distillery's signature honey note and a little spice are detectable. A good, well-crafted dram.

You think of Christmas spices (clove, nutmeg, cinnamon), yellow flowers (saffron, goldenrod), a nice spicy and honeyed finish, perhaps not complex but very enjoyable from start to finish, a cake with vanilla and almonds, rose water, not far from a baklava in the end, well-balanced with a really nice length!

On the nose, honey and citrus. The palate is easily tasted with honey, citrus, and sweet fruit. Medium finish.