2012 GlenAllachie 11 Year Old "Signatory" K&L Exclusive First Fill Oloroso Sherry Cask Strength Non Chillfiltered Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

There was a time not long ago that getting a sherry bomb like this would have been unthinkable. A single cask from a Billy Walker distillery that's dark like coffee and super high proof - in any other context we'd be happy to be selling this at twice the price. I'm sure we'll see others of similar quality in the future, at least I hope, but this barrel is truly a first for us. The last GlenAllachie we bought was also first fill sherry, but for many customers expecting the ultra-bomb that the distillery has made us accustomed to, it fell very flat. That's without mentioning that it was nearly $30 more expensive than this whisky. Of course, I loved the subtle nuance and soft dried fruit of the Hart Bros Glenallachie or we would have not bought it, but when people think 1st fill Billy Walker whisky they want to really feel it. So, let's do that. Let's start feeling. The color is just dumb, an unparalleled brown sherry (1.9). The nose is stunningly rich oloroso sherry. Full of rich roasted nuts, dense raisin syrup, cracked old leather, sweet Christmas cake and deep jammy fruit. On the palate, the expected alcohol hit is totally missing replaced with ultra-sweet fruit dense, almost PX like in its dried fruit character. The finish is long and full of dark chocolates, sweet Figgy pudding and big herbal spice. With water it becomes more chiseled somewhat offering pure red fruits, fresh sweet tobacco leaf, yet the dense sherry remains. This is an absolute slam dunk sherry bomb, that's sweet and rich enough to even win over the hardest core bourbon lover. An altogether unprecedented experience that's price of entry sits significantly below the value threshold.