The GlenAllachie highlights wood aging in new signature range

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 05 July, 2019

The GlenAllachie Distillery is extending its range of whiskies to include a number of limited edition expressions that highlight the wood management expertise of master distiller, Billy Walker.

A trio of signature expressions are being introduced: the 8-year-old Koval Rye Quarter Cask Wood Finish; the 10-year-old Port Wood Finish; and the 12-year-old Pedro Ximenez Sherry Wood Finish.

To create the new range, Walker first hand-selected barrels from among some 50,000 casks across 16 warehouses at The GlenAllachie’s distillery near Aberlour.

Casks were sourced from a number of bodegas and distilleries that shared Walker’s ethos of “careful wood management” and with whom he had established relationships.

The length of time spent in each of the special casks varies, with “constant monitoring” needed to decide when the whisky is ready.

Walker said: “Wood management is something I’m very passionate about and we invest a substantial amount of time and money into sourcing exceptional casks from all around the world. I look for casks that will complement and enhance the GlenAllachie spirit, with the different woods making a greater, or sometimes subtle, influence, and taking us on a journey of new flavours.”

The GlenAllachie Wood Finish range retails from £54.99 for the Koval Rye Quarter Cask and Port Wood Finish, up to £58.99 for the Pedro Ximenez Sherry.

A number of different types of wood and periods of maturation were used in the process.

For example, the Koval Rye Quarter Cask Wood Finish was first matured in American oak wood barrels before undergoing an additional maturation period in organic Rye quarter casks from Chicago’s Koval Distillery.

The greater liquid-to-wood ratio in the smaller casks means the spice flavour of the Rye is released more rapidly, the company said, resulting in a taste profile of sweet spices, honey, cooking apples and cloves.

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