GLENALLACHIE DISTILLERY

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

While Chivas Brothers primarily used GlenAllachie whisky for blending, the new ownership is now promoting it as a single malt.

About

Lightness has been a hallmark of many distilleries from the 1960s, and Glenallachie is no different. The palate features a malty undertone that adds texture, complemented by delicate fruit notes. Since the GlenAllachie Distillery Company took over, fermentation times have been extended, resulting in a spirit with a fruitier and more robust character. Currently, peated runs make up 20% of the production, though peated GlenAllachie won’t be available in stores for several years.

History

GlenAllachie was established in 1967 by Mackinlays, the distilling subsidiary of Scottish & Newcastle Breweries, as a result of the US-driven whisky boom of the 1960s. It stands out as one of the distilleries designed by William Delmé-Evans, who also created Macduff, Tullibardine, and Jura.

In 1985, Mackinlays was acquired by Invergordon Distillers, a specialist in own-label products. Four years later, GlenAllachie was sold to Campbell Distillers/Pernod Ricard, having spent much of this time mothballed.

GlenAllachie has rarely been available as a single malt bottling, with its most significant appearance being part of Chivas Brothers’ Cask Strength series.

In July 2017, Chivas Brothers announced the sale of GlenAllachie to The GlenAllachie Distillers Company. This new company is run by former BenRiach MD Billy Walker, ex-Inver House Distillers MD Graham Stevenson, and Trisha Savage. The distillery’s name was updated to include a capital ‘A’, reflecting changes Walker previously implemented at BenRiach and GlenDronach.

The new owners are revitalizing GlenAllachie as a distillery known for its robust, fruity malt whisky. In April 2018, they released six single cask bottlings, with the first core range of single malts set to launch in June 2018.

Speyside Region

Although, Speyside was not accepted as an official whisky region it is now generally approved as a subdivision of the Highlands Region. Over half of all Scotland’s distilleries are located in here which makes it the most densely populated whisky region in the world. Many of the most popular single malts are produced in Speyside also the malts here are typically said to be the sweetest of all scotch whisky malts. Their whiskies are known for being frugal with peat and full of fruit. Pear, apple, vanilla, honey and spice all have a part a role in expressions from this region, which are commonly matured in sherry casks.