THE GLENALLACHIE CASK FINISHED SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
SPEYSIDE, SCOTLAND
Why Buy: Mastery meets rarity in these limited-edition, artfully-casked single malts from The GlenAllachie’s Billy Walker, a 2021 inductee into the Icons of Whisky Hall of Fame. The legendary Master Distiller is deft in his use of casking to deepen and amplify a single malt without ever losing sight of its soul.
What They're Saying: The Tasting Table selected the 2012 Vintage Cuvée Wine Cask Finish as one of "The 13 Best 2023 Whiskeys So Far," describing the drinking experience as akin to "sitting on a summer midday in the garden while fireworks go off all around you."
The Story: Walker’s 50+ years experience in the industry have endowed him with an unerring palate. These two single malts, each an installment in one of Walker's passion project series, are a showcase of his expertise at blending. To produce them, Walker works with niche producers from around the world, sourcing small batches of outstanding casks – his eye, as ever, on the exact right nuances that will bring out the best in his single malts. The 2012 Vintage Cuvée Wine Cask Finish was produced by first aging The GlenAllachie’s single malt in ex-bourbon casks and then assigning a portion to one of four different wine barriques for secondary maturation: two from Premier Cru Classé châteaux in Bordeaux, one from Languedoc, and one from Valpolicella. The 13 Years Old Madeira Wood Finish was matured for over eleven years in American oak barrels, before being transferred into madeira barriques that previously held wine made from Malvasia grapes – among the richer of the Madeira styles.
The Specs: Only 3,000 bottles of the 2012 Vintage Cuvée Wine Cask Finish and a little over 3,700 bottles of the 13 Years Old Madeira Wood Finish were made available to the U.S. Both were un-chill-filtered, with no coloring added.
Our Tasting Notes: Walker's use of multiple wines – and with that, multiple barriques – has worked magic on the 2012 Vintage Cuvée Wine Cask Finish: this is a 9-year that tastes significantly older to us, and without the over-oaking that is sometimes a byproduct of a younger age statement. We love the floral notes that leap out of the glass, the notes of dark chocolate, almonds, orange zest, and licorice on the palate, and, above all, the texture – silken but not overly coating. The 13 Years Old Madeira Wood Finish makes good on the promise of its deep, golden color. The nose brings wave after wave of apricots, plantains, peaches, and pineapples, and those notes are carried through on the palate and into the finish. An exceedingly smooth, rich, drinkable single malt that will have you immediately pouring another two fingers.
ABV: Both single malts are 48% (96 proof).
Fun Fact: Billy Walker isn't just the Master Distiller at The GlenAllachie; he is also an owner, having purchased the distillery (with partners Trisha Savage and Graham Stevenson) in 2017.
Our Guarantee: We always buy and source direct, so rest assured: your single malts will arrive in your hands with pristine provenance. Secure your order today!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Fall 2023. With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in MI, MO, NC, NY, TN, VA, or WA. This offer is for ONE WEEK, or until sold out, and will expire on Wednesday, July 26, 2023.
*Due to limited storage space for pre-ordered product, we can only hold orders for 30 days from the first notification that your order is ready for pickup. If you are unable to pick up your order within 30 days, please contact Concierge Sales at (855) 841-2752 or conciergesales@totalwine.com to make an arrangement. A store associate may reach out periodically to notify you of your order. Unfortunately, if no arrangements have been made, after 30 days, the order will need to be cancelled and we will provide a full refund. No orders will be cancelled without multiple communication attempts.
