The GlenAllachie 30 Year Old Cask Strength Batch 1

by Daniel Galyean

Hot on the heels of winning the World’s Best Single Malt award (World Whiskies Awards, 2021), The GlenAllachie Distillery is launching its oldest and most prestigious core offering yet: The GlenAllachie 30-year-old Cask Strength Batch 1 Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

A brand-new addition to the GlenAllachie’s multi award-winning flagship range, Batch 1 of The GlenAllachie 30-year-old (UK RRSP £475) is the first in a series of annual small-batch releases at this age, with only 2,000 bottles available worldwide.

This first instalment is a marriage of vintage whiskies from nine casks handpicked by acclaimed Master Distiller, Billy Walker, from stocks spanning more than 50,000 casks maturing across 16 on-site warehouses at GlenAllachie.

To create this unique whisky, which is bottled at cask strength of 48.9% ABV, non chill filtered and natural colour, Walker personally selected a combination of 1989 and 1990 vintages matured in former Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso hogsheads and puncheons, along with a small quantity of Chinquapin Virgin Oak casks.

The result of Walker’s superlative blending and wood management expertise is an exceptional whisky that delivers bold sherry-matured sophistication; notes of indulgent mocha, ripe figs and dark chocolate, coupled with classic GlenAllachie honeyed charm.

Commenting on the historic release, Walker, who next year reaches his 50th year in the industry, said: “When I first explored the warehouses here back in 2017, I was blown away by the quality I discovered. I immediately set out earmarking casks and planning a series of incredibly special releases.

“I always had an ambition to create a memorable 30-year-old expression, presented at natural cask strength, that would truly blow away whisky connoisseurs across the globe. It’s a small-batch single malt that undoubtedly captures everything I’ve learned along the way in my career, and thus is a bottling I’m particularly proud to release.”

The GlenAllachie 30-year-old Cask Strength Batch 1 is available from specialist retailers globally, with a UK RRP of £475.

TASTING NOTES: 

  • Colour: Rich Mahogany.
  • Nose: Fruit cake, raisins and mocha, with honey, cinnamon and coconut.
  • Taste: Layers of dark chocolate, fruit cake, raisins, honey and figs, with treacle, orange zest and nutmeg.

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