Glenallachie has recently hit the whisky circles. Probably because Ralfy talked about it. And while I tip my hat to anyone reviewing whisky, I get a tad worried when it happens.
Please don’t take me saying this is on Ralfy, in some way: He’s allowed to try things and make sure people know about them. I’m talking about us, the whisky audience. We could react calmly, know that these bottles are having a good run, maybe buy one or two, and be done with it. Or we can load our bunkers like we’re awaiting the eventual collapse of Western Civilization (which isn’t for at least a decade).
Thus I’ve collected the odd sample, wondering if I’m aligned. It’s probably the first whisky that got hot that I don’t know what to think of. GlenAllachie typically popped up in IBs, we had them, were fine with them, and… that’s it.
So to start pumping myself up while I wait to do other tasting sets, I should try a new whisky. Enter GlenAllachie 6 2012 The Whisky Company. Very young whisky, single cask, and aged in a 1st Fill Sherry Butt. Is this going to be the norm for GlenAllachie? Probably not. But it’s an entry to try some more of it, and that’s what this is all about.
Either that or a fun hobby to ignore the eventual collapse of Western Civilization (which isn’t happening for 5 years, at least).
Price: €90
Region: Speyside
Vintage: 2012
Bottled: 2018
Cask type: 1st Fill Sherry Butt
Abv: 59.4%
Colour: 2.5Y 8/10
Nose: Oak, nectarine, ginger, cocoa butter, brine
Okay, nice oak and nectarine, which isn’t a surprise given the age. Some fattiness and spice to round it out, and even some brine, which I didn’t expect at all. Had to double check that, and it only came out after water was added.
Odd whisky in these times given it was in sherry. I’m used to sherry dominating and wiping out the whisky, so I’m liking the little parts.
Taste: Ginger syrup, butter, papaya, cinnamon, marzipan
Wow, that’s a lot of ginger/heat. Sweet too. Fun to sip on, reminds me of a brittle candy or simple fruit based desserts. Lots of spice to it too, which I’m a fan of.
A lot more of the sherry on the taste. If I was worried it was an inactive cask due to the nose, I’d say the main taste of the dram counters that quick. Now it’s similar to current sherried whiskies.
Finish: Ginger, cement, mint, birch, maple
Wow there’s some bitter/mineral aspects here. Sharp, wood sweetness mixed with mineral and a flavour I associate with cement powder from making it as a kid but most people think of it as earth/mineral. I think. Most people didn’t make cement, right? That hasn’t changed?
Here’s hoping, remembering how to make cement would be helpful after the eventual collapse of Western Civilization (which shouldn’t happen until at least December).
Conclusion: A fun, weird, sherry-dominant dram. I’ve had very few GlenAllachie, and this one was probably the most fun but also the simplest (the other two were 20+ years so really not a surprise). That all said, it did make me want to try more, so maybe Ralfy was right (gonna miss him after the eventual collapse of Western Civilization next week).
So should you buy this? Yes, easily. There’s few young Scotches that work this well while still being in that wheelhouse. I think it’s weird and fun yet approachable. Unlike me in High School, as I wasn’t approachable.
80/100
Scotch review #1563, Speyside review #446, Whisky Network review #2287
tomoderawhisky.ca 