Back in April 2021 GlenAllachie distillery released four single cask whiskies only available from UK retailers. One of them was this GlenAllachie 2005 sherry butt #901042.
GlenAllachie 15 yo 2005 (63%, OB for the UK 2021, sherry butt #901042, 523 btl.)
Nose: a high quality sherry cask that evoques a proper, aged Oloroso or perhaps a sherry brandy. Slightly sourish red berries, Maraschino cherries, plums and plenty of polished oak. Hints of brown sugar. Leathery notes. A little mocha. Raisins in rum. Candied ginger and crushed black peppercorns. Hints of oak char and slightly burnt vanilla pastry as well. Really good.
Mouth: quite fierce, with an explosion of sherry flavours again. If you like this, you should really try a sherry brandy. Chocolate, treacle, dark brew coffee, plenty of dried figs and dates, as well as cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. Some tannins, sure, and leather.
Finish: long, drying, still intense. Plums, figs and burnt sugar. The oak char and oak polish are still there as well.
A modern, flawless sherry bomb. Closer to a sherry brandy than to a whisky perhaps, but it works. A treat, provided you don’t mind the numbing strength. Sold out but The Whisky Exchange still has samples.