THE GLENALLACHIE 12YR

If you’ve been hearing the name GlenAllachie and wondering what the fuss is about, this is where to start. The GlenAllachie 12 Year Old is the Speyside distillery’s flagship single malt and the bottle that put it on every whisky lover’s radar after industry veteran Billy Walker and his team took over in 2017 and refocused everything on flavour and cask quality.

It’s a gloriously sherried dram. On the nose, heather honey, sultanas and milk chocolate give way to orange peel and cinnamon; the palate is rich and rounded, with toffee, dark chocolate and honeyed malt layered over raisins, stewed fruits and sweet baking spice. The medium-to-long finish carries cocoa, nutmeg and a gentle oak dryness, closing on one last wave of dried-fruit sweetness.

That depth comes from maturation in a carefully chosen mix of casks — Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry butts alongside virgin oak and ex-bourbon barrels. Bottled at 46% ABV, non-chill filtered and at natural colour, it holds onto every bit of its texture and character. Pour it neat or with a few drops of water and give it time to open up; this is a malt built for slow, considered sipping.