GlenAllachie 11yr Port Wood Finish 48%

Port! I love a good port-finished or port-matured whisky!

But they don’t always float my boat and all too often I find the odd port-flopper that is a total let-down. But when a distillery gets it right, they are delightful. This is a port finish that’s not quite in its teens yet but is coming in at a slightly higher than normal strength of 48% ABV.

Appearance: Ruby / Rosé wine hue. Speedy thin & oily legs.

Nose: The unmistakable signature tone of fragrant fruit that you find with a lot of GlenAllachie wafts out of the glass almost immediately. Left to sit for a few minutes, there’s an undeniable aroma of an empty glass that held rosé wine and was put to one side. Sweetly spiced with hints of milk chocolate, caramel, and strawberry jam.

Palate: Spiced fruity chewiness, delicate oiliness, and sweet wine intermingle. Then a second sweet-wave of nutty toffee and vanilla sponge appear that shifts over to a drying, slightly sour and warming finish.

Finish: Long with a light & gentle oiliness. Oak-dryness appears that moves to a longer sweetness (charred sugar and vanilla custard). It’s all very mouth-coating with that typical fruity foundation that GlenAllachie presents.

Conclusion:This is hands-down an outright proper drinking whisky. Absolutely full of fruity flavour and insanely quaffable. I would happily drop the cash to buy a case of this and keep as a consistent drinker in the collection. And bottling this at 48% ABV is a master stroke as it really carries the flavour.

RRP around £55.