The GlenAllachie Distillery recently launched a single malt that’s something new for the whisky maker, The GlenAllachie 2012 Vintage Cuvée Wine Cask Finish.
The 9-year-old expression blends single malt whisky finished in casks that previously held four types of European red wine … Languedoc, Recioto Della Valpolicella and two Premier Cru Classés.
The French term ‘Cuvée’ is used in the wine industry to refer to a blend that’s made up of more than one variety of grape. In this case, the Speyside-based distillery is applying the descriptive term to its whisky, “by combining single malt matured in wine casks from multiple wineries.”
In a statement from GlenAllachie, the brand note that one primary detail for the single malt is that after its first maturation in American oak ex-bourbon barrels, the whisky was aged another 20 months in the various wine barriques within the distillery’s on-site warehouses.
The casks were obtained from four fine wineries located in France and Italy, obtained by Master Distiller Billy Walker through his network of connections with niche producers. Walker recently celebrated his 50-year tenure in the Scotch whisky industry.
Once he determined the finishing period for this aged whisky, Walker then blended the liquid to form the Cuvée Wine Cask Finish.
He explained that the Languedoc casks imparted notes of “red fruits, sweet spices and garden herbs.” The Recioto Della Valpolicella, produced in Verona, Italy, contributes “ripe cherries, coconut shavings, licorice and raspberry coulis.” And the Premier Cru Classé wood brings “black currant, espresso coffee and wild truffle” to the palate.
The Cuvée Wine Cask Finish sports a bronze color and the 2012 vintage single malt clocks in at 48% ABV.
Trending Stories
“As an impassioned wine enthusiast, devising a Cuvée has been nothing short of a dream project,” Walker said. “I’m fortunate to have long standing relationships with premium wine producers across Europe which has opened doors for us to create a whisky with intricate charm. As a blender at heart, identifying wine styles that would sit well together and capture distinctive qualities presented an enjoyable challenge. They say, ‘never mix grape and grain,’ but I say this marriage is a match made in heaven.”
The GlenAllachie 2012 Vintage Cuvée Wine Cask Finish has a suggested retail price of £53.99 and is available through global specialist retailers.
For more information, check out www.theglenallachie.com.
Latest News