GlenAllachie 25 Year

There's a unique feeling in drinking a good whisky that has been discontinued, knowing you were part of its end and it was great. I felt exactly that when I drank this remarkable GlenAllachie 25yo, matured in PX and Oloroso Casks, a distillery release. Actually, GlenAllachie, since Billy Walker took over, has become the leader in Speyside whiskies, offering immense flavors and aromas. This was no exception. Bottled at 48% ABV, it has a lovely chestnut color. On the nose, it's exactly like a sweet prune stuck in your nose. Incredible. Very wine-like, with rum and raisins, dates. It smells like ice cream; it actually smells cold. Dark chocolate, hay, and glazed pork. Dark chocolate. A perfect score here. On the palate, it was divine. Red wine, red fruits, gooseberries, and tobacco. Oily but sophisticated. Cuban cigars. The aftertaste continues the greatness of this dram. Salty, sawdust, winey, sulfur, and cigar. It felt citric everywhere. Overall, this was majestic. I don't know about you, but I don't drink 25yo whiskies every day, and what truly impressed me is that older drams usually tend to be a bit overly oaked, but this was so perfectly crafted that you get the right amount of oakiness, making this dram an outstanding whisky. My score for it is 97 out of 100.

The aroma is distinctly sherry-influenced, very smooth and warm, with intense dried fruit like plums, dates, and candied orange coated in chocolate. It also presents raisin bread, caramelized butter, cinnamon, and a touch of nutmeg. A subtle floral and balsamic undertone is present. The profile is rich and diverse, possessing character. Chocolate continues to dominate the taste, alongside abundant candied orange and a pleasant hint of chili pepper. This is complemented by the scent of leavened bread with hazelnuts and raisins, which, along with the spices (cinnamon, naturally, but also anise and nutmeg), imparts an acidic and bitter quality, enlivening the aromatic complexity. A balsamic note lingers in the background, less pronounced than on the nose, along with wood. The finish is medium-long, balancing sweet and bitter notes, with hints of hazelnuts, plums, malt, and wood. The characteristics perceived in the 12-year-old appear magnified here, suggesting a consistency in aging, and seem more refined and balanced, highlighting the distinct identity of the distillery (and the efforts of the current team). A whisky that keeps one engaged and distinguishes itself from other sherry-matured spirits, potentially polarizing opinions, but ultimately that's irrelevant! It might be slightly overpriced considering its lack of profound complexity, but it is worth trying.

This 25-year-old whisky, independently bottled by Douglas Laing at 50.6% ABV, has a nose of nuts, lemon, fruit tree blossoms, molasses, a bit of smoke, and mixed dried green leaf spices; the 50.6% ABV is not very noticeable. The palate has a slight, short chili burn, is mildly sweet, with notes of walnut (both the nut and the shell), and a gentle woody bitterness. This whisky feels quite intense and uncertain of itself. You can sense the maturity, but it seems a bit unbalanced. It's complex for what it offers but certainly not a whisky for unwinding; it truly challenges you. Adding water has little effect.

Nose: Sweet caramel with some vanilla. Hints of dried fruit and buttered cinnamon toast. Palate: More dried fruit with some caramelization. A bit of baked dessert bread too. Finish: Sweeter notes like molasses, but not overly strong. Stewed fruit and some nuttiness conclude it.