GLENALLACHIE VIRGIN OAK SERIES
LIMITED EDITION SINGLE MALT SCOTCH
SPEYSIDE, SCOTLAND
Why Buy: You won’t often hear oak and provenance spoken of together in the same sentence, unless the speaker happens to be the legendary Master Distiller Billy Walker. Call it the ultimate testament to The GlenAllachie's Virgin Oak Series that these inimitable, terroir-driven single malts come across less as an experiment and more as a passionate (and deeply-considered) exploration of — quite literally — time and place. (And this limited edition is an extreme rarity, too: only 1,200 bottles of each were shipped to the U.S.)
The Story: This is Batch 3 of the series, and it again finds Walker — who last year celebrated 50 years in the industry — on an epic quest to find the exact, right casks for his superlatively-crafted Speyside single malts. Whether it was venturing deep in the volcanic woods of Hungary, or wandering the coastal forests of Scotland, or roaming the Cantabrian Mountains of Galicia and Asturias, Walker traveled far and wide in pursuit of perfection. But if passionate seeking characterized the first phase of production, the second phase was all about the opposite: waiting, waiting. After first maturing in ex-bourbon barrels, the three single malts underwent second maturations for approximately 18 months, with Walker’s specially-sourced virgin oaks providing the thrilling finish. In each, we see the cask character come through in particular and fascinating ways.
Our Tasting Notes:
* The golden-hued 7 Year Hungarian bursts open on the nose with butterscotch, citrus, and milk chocolate, followed by trailing notes of cinnamon, raisins, orchard fruits, and ginger. That sweetness is not just hinted at, it's delivered upon: on the palate, the flavors come in waves — heather honey, cinnamon, chocolate, lemon drops, and caramelized brown sugar, all of it carried by a nice, rich oiliness. The finish is long and gentle.
* The first nosing of the 8 Year Scottish is deeply seductive, putting you in mind of a just-baked dessert: oven-simmered oats, butterscotch, toffee, all wafting up from the glass, followed in succession by cinnamon, gingersnaps, heather honey. On the palate, those notes of heather honey, cinnamon, and ginger are developed, and deepened — and accompanied by hints of lemon zest, white chocolate, and orchard fruits. Toffee and butterscotch, first teased on the nose, return for the lush finish.
* A single nosing of this mahogany-colored beauty is all it takes to know that the Cantabrian Mountain wood that housed this single malt was toasted and charred. The aromatics (orchard fruits, baking spices, sticky toffee pudding, brown sugar, glazed cherries) are woven and complex, and the palate is generous, rich, and layered; you'll revel in the notes of chocolate, coffee, heather honey, ginger, and molasses, and the way they braid. The finish is gloriously tongue-coating.
ABV: All three single malts are 48% (96 proof), non-chill filtered and with no color added.
Fun Fact: Walker is not just the distiller at The GlenAllachie Distillers Company; he's also the owner, and has turned a once-moribund outfit into a robustly profitable business.
Our Guarantee: We always buy and source direct, so you can be confident that your single malts will arrive in your hands with pristine provenance. Secure yours today!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Spring 2024. 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 KS, MI, MO, NC, NY, TN, VA, & WA. This offer is for ONE WEEK, or until sold out, and will expire on Tuesday, November 21, 2023.
