A French red wine cask from a Premier Cru Classé vineyard has left its mark on this 2009 GlenAllachie. The result is a 12 year old single cask with enough backbone to carry the wine's character through, bottled at a cask strength of 59.1%. Just 323 bottles have been drawn from cask 1040, exclusively for the Danish market.
Expert's description
GlenAllachie 2009 Premier Cru Classé 12 Year Old is a single cask Speyside malt whisky, finished in a French red wine cask from a Premier Cru Classé vineyard and bottled at 59.1% cask strength.
This release belongs to Batch 4 in GlenAllachie's series of single cask bottlings, where the distillery's whisky maker Billy Walker lets each individual cask speak for itself. Cask 1040 was filled on 5 November 2009 and left to rest for nearly 13 years before being bottled in July 2022. Along the way, the red wine cask from a renowned French vineyard has layered the whisky with dark fruit and tannin not found in the distillery's standard releases.
Only 323 bottles have come from this single cask, and they have been bottled exclusively for the Danish market. That makes this bottling a rare chance to taste what happens when GlenAllachie's clean spirit meets the legacy of a French wine cellar.
Tasting notes
Nose
Dark forest berries, redcurrant jelly and a hint of tobacco meet sweet vanilla and a gentle spiced warmth from the oak. Underneath sits a touch of fresh brioche and a tangy note reminiscent of red wine left to breathe.
Palate
Full-bodied and powerful, with flavours of dark chocolate, blackcurrant and a whisper of clove. The cask strength brings noticeable warmth, but the dark fruit and soft tannins keep it balanced, while caramelised sugar and toasted almonds emerge along the way.
Finish
Long and dry, with lingering notes of dark fruit, cedar wood and a light bitterness from the wine cask, slowly giving way to a sweetness reminiscent of dark marmalade.
Specifications
Name: GlenAllachie 2009 Premier Cru Classé 12 Year Old
Distillery: GlenAllachie
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 59.1%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Cask 1040, Premier Cru Classé finish
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Number of bottles: 323
Edition: Batch 4
Flavour profile
Fruity · Wine-toned · Spiced · Full-bodied · Cask strength · Dark chocolate
Investment potential
With only 323 bottles from a single cask, bottled exclusively for Denmark, this release sits in the medium tier of investment interest. The combination of single cask, cask strength and an unusual French wine cask finish makes it relevant for collectors seeking GlenAllachie releases with a story beyond the ordinary.
Did you know?
Premier Cru Classé comes from Bordeaux's famous 1855 classification of vineyards, where only a small number of the finest chateaux carry the title. Having a whisky cask rest in a cask from precisely such a vineyard makes this finish something of a rarity in the whisky world.
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