Glenallachie 10 Year Cask Strength Batch 3

Note - I am participating in the Really Good Whisky Company Advent Calendar. I have decided to pour these whiskies "blind," or as close to blind as possible, before providing notes on the nose, palate, and finish. I will then reveal the label, proof, cask type, etc., before writing further observations. I will offer some guesses regarding proof and cask type and see how close I get. Cheers! Nose: Initially, I'm getting very strong bourbon-like characteristics. Lovely, bold notes of classic brown sugar, vanilla, and charred oak. Cherries are also present. This feels very familiar. Nutmeg, allspice, clove... all the baking spices one could desire. I suspect this isn't finished, but there's a depth I'm anticipating experiencing on the palate and finish. The proof feels like it's in the 120s. Lightly roasted nuts, espresso, and leather are detected. Some subtle citrus notes prevent it from feeling overly heavy or dense, though the oak backbone provides substantial support. I'm inclined to say this is a bourbon, but a musty element is emerging – almost grassy. This must involve virgin oak, but I'm unsure about the rest. Palate: This confirms my initial thoughts: it's not a bourbon. The palate begins with classic toasted cereal grains, deep honey, and almost burnt caramel. It's intensely herbal and grassy. Dark fruits, baking spices, black pepper, and a hint of tannic, charred oak are present. These dark fruits, nuts, and intense oak characteristics are perplexing me. It's definitely virgin oak, but is there also some sherry influence? The musty profile persists, but it doesn't have the new-make fruity funk. Based on my experience, this suggests an age of at least 10 years. No bananas or similar "light" fruits, and I don't detect dusty corn or rye. Could it be a single malt? From where? It can't be from Texas, as the oak profile doesn't match, and it couldn't be that old. Perhaps a peculiar Highland or Speyside, or from a US region with a mild climate. Despite its intensity, it's very well-balanced, offering all the depth and richness one could hope for. The mouthfeel is medium-light, with some moderate oils. Finish: A significant wave of toasted grain, caramel, oak, citrus oils, and mint. Ethanol is also present. As it gradually settles, a definite warming sensation emerges with nutmeg, cinnamon, and dark fruits. Freshly cracked black pepper is noticeable. Bitter lemon notes appear, while the oak and char linger persistently. The finish is long. Other notes: This was, admittedly, a peculiar journey that I thoroughly enjoyed. It's a 10-year-old cask strength Speyside at 58.2% – I correctly identified the age and proof and had a good sense of the region. I captured the style, which was surprising. The casks were a guessing game – this is a combination of ex-bourbon, virgin oak, and both PX and Oloroso sherry. I came much closer than I anticipated! To be clear, based on the nose alone, it gave me strong high-proof bourbon vibes. I immediately assumed it was a well-aged cask strength Kentucky bourbon. However, as I experienced it further, I realized this truly highlights how remarkably impactful casks are on the overall experience. The nose and palate differ in some very interesting ways, and while not entirely disconnected, it's a bit unexpected. I found this extremely enjoyable and a refreshing change. It's a bit disappointing that this is a limited release, as I would love to acquire a bottle and spend more time with it, perhaps doing some blind comparisons with other cask strength offerings. GlenAllachie is producing some very intriguing products (they even have a Rye!), and this tasting only reinforces my need to explore more of their expressions. Very well executed.

58.2% Nose - Raisins, prunes, traces of bright fresh red raspberries, caramel, toffee, a light berry fruit snack impression (with water). Water slightly mutes the sweetness but otherwise it's the same. Taste - A bit fiery, with hot fruity habanero/white peppercorn/ginger heat and a tingle. Mixed dried berries, raisins, blueberries, cranberries, a hint of orange, caramel, apples (with water). Water delays the heat slightly, bringing out more orange and orange juice, honey, caramel, raisins, and fewer dark berries. Finish - Lingering heat and tingle, light metallic dried fruit, orange oil (with water). It's the same, but the metallic sensation is gone. Score - 83/100 Final Thoughts - This was quite enjoyable, but the palate and finish had a bit too much heat. The nose surprisingly masks the heat, and upon tasting, you realize it's a significantly higher proof. Without water, nice dried berries are brightened by some orange; water tones down the berries a bit and increases the orange, which is pleasant. It's tasty and a little sweet; water helps, but the heat somewhat detracts, making it challenging to drink without diluting it to tame the heat and remove the fruity, metallic bitterness. Would I drink it if offered? - Yes Would I specifically order it? - Perhaps Would I buy a bottle? - No NOTE - All reviews are assessed without considering price.

The alcohol doesn't sting the nose at all, allowing the warm and fruity aromas to flow, influenced by both Bourbon and Sherry: vanilla, caramel, ripe figs, dates, red fruits, candied orange, butter cookies, cinnamon. Very rich, with the wood in the background, which tends to grow over time, becoming drier, while the aromas shift to buttery with a hint of acidity. On the palate, the intensity becomes pungent and spicy, combining cloves and rhubarb with cinnamon, with an acidity that is more prominent, bordering on invasive, along with red fruits, chocolate, licorice, hazelnuts, and orange and lemon zest. Full-bodied and oily, with the wood always present and rough, with a growing bitterness. The finish is quite long, dry, with notes of wood, cloves, orange, lemon, licorice. Alcohol content is not very balanced; the wood becomes too dominant, disrupting the aromas that lose the initial blend perceived on the nose on the palate, with the bitterness tending to overpower the pleasantness of the flavors.

Aroma: Wonderful and intricate scents. Orange zest, citrus, and mint (the packaging indicates eucalyptus), with a clear presence of oak and sherry. I also detected a lack of sulfur, which is a plus for me, even though I enjoy Mortlach. In the mouth: Very rich and smooth. Despite the high alcohol content, it's not harsh. Abundant orange peel, spice, and dark fruits. Finish: Medium to long (but not excessively so), where the spices fade into a minty, fresh sensation that develops and grows on your palate.

A powerful whisky. The alcohol content is nearly overwhelming and it benefits from water. The aroma is dark chocolate and espresso with perhaps some dark fruit. The flavor is predominantly dark chocolate, maybe with some coffee; adding water only enhances this. I enjoy it. The finish features more dark chocolate and a hint of bitter oak, but not excessively so. The maker is brilliant. I'm just beginning to explore this whisky and anticipate our continued acquaintance over the next year. I believe we'll get along well.

Nose (4.25): Apple / Orange tart. Cherries. Chocolate. Light cinnamon and baking spice. A bit leathery. Slight alcohol sharpness. Palate (4): Creamy. Thick. Malty honey. Finish (4.5): Taste follows through. Some carbonation detected. Dark chocolate. Pepper. Apple juice. Overall. It's a pretty good sample. I'm going to try to find a sample of batch 4. If I can't, I'm definitely getting this bottle. It's delicious. For the price, it's a definite purchase.