“Whisky Sour”
Whisky Review # 1077
Country: Scotland 🏴
Region: Speyside
Brand: GlenAllachie 2006 - Distilled: 03-03-2006 - Bottled: 01-07-2020
Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky - Cask # 1845 - 494 Bottles
Age: 14 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 60.1% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: Ruby Port Pipe
Maturation: Ruby Port Pipe
Chill Filtration: No
Price Average: US$ 120 (December 2025)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Borderline okay
Buying Advice:😐 Interesting only if you are into (fortified) Red Wine maturation
Colour:
Amber with shades of Orange and Red (Natural Colour)
Nose:
The Alcohol is quite strong so please avoid sticking your Nose in the middle of the glass. There's also a bit of Sulphur around but nothing too serious. I find a clear Sour note that reminds me of Berries and Plums. The Nose improves over time so be patient.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Toasted Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Straw, Sour Fruit like Raspberries, Plums, Strawberries and Blackberries, Dried Fruit like Raisins & Apples, Orange Liqueur, slightly Sour Red Wine, Dusty casks in a Dunnage Warehouse, Pepper, Ginger and Cinnamon.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Demerara Sugar, Buttered Toast, Milk Chocolate, Brandy, Lemon, Sour Cherries, Leather Polish, Forest Floor after Rain, Mint and Espresso.
Colour:
Amber with shades of Orange and Red (Natural Colour)
Nose:
The Alcohol is quite strong so please avoid sticking your Nose in the middle of the glass. There's also a bit of Sulphur around but nothing too serious. I find a clear Sour note that reminds me of Berries and Plums. The Nose improves over time so be patient.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Toasted Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Straw, Sour Fruit like Raspberries, Plums, Strawberries and Blackberries, Dried Fruit like Raisins & Apples, Orange Liqueur, slightly Sour Red Wine, Dusty casks in a Dunnage Warehouse, Pepper, Ginger and Cinnamon.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Demerara Sugar, Buttered Toast, Milk Chocolate, Brandy, Lemon, Sour Cherries, Leather Polish, Forest Floor after Rain, Mint and Espresso.
Bitter-Sweet, Sour and Oily. The Alcohol is very strong and added Water is a must. The Palate basically follows the Nose. A little Sulphur is still noticeable. Sour Fruit and Caramel lead the way. Quite Dry and Astringent.
Main Flavours:
Sweet Toasted Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Demerara Sugar, Treacle, Sour Red Fruit like Raspberries, Strawberries, Cherries and Plums, slightly Sour Red Wine, Dried Fruit like Apples, Raisins and Sultanas, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Mint.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Vanilla, Butterscotch, Heather-Honey, Milk Chocolate, Toasted Almonds, Banana, Orange Liqueur, Lemon, Slivovitz, Cognac, Wet Paper/Rocks, Espresso, Aniseed, Leather Polish and a trace of Tobacco.
Finish:
Middle-Long and Bitter-Sweet with additional Sour notes towards the Dry end. The Alcohol is strong so added Water is a must. I find Sweet Toasted Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Sour Red Fruit like Raspberries, Strawberries and Cherrie, Slivovitz, Treacle, Toasted Almonds, Milk Chocolate, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Mint, Aniseed, Leather Polish, Wet Paper, Espresso and traces of Metal and Rubber.
Vanilla, Butterscotch, Heather-Honey, Milk Chocolate, Toasted Almonds, Banana, Orange Liqueur, Lemon, Slivovitz, Cognac, Wet Paper/Rocks, Espresso, Aniseed, Leather Polish and a trace of Tobacco.
Middle-Long and Bitter-Sweet with additional Sour notes towards the Dry end. The Alcohol is strong so added Water is a must. I find Sweet Toasted Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Sour Red Fruit like Raspberries, Strawberries and Cherrie, Slivovitz, Treacle, Toasted Almonds, Milk Chocolate, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Mint, Aniseed, Leather Polish, Wet Paper, Espresso and traces of Metal and Rubber.
Drinking Advice:
Added Water is a must in this case. The ABV of over 60% is too strong to enjoy neat. With Water the Finish becomes quite Peppery though! You will loose some of the Sour Fruit on the Palate as well. Malt and Spice come to the forefront. Just add a little Water at a time to find your preferred settings.
Rating: 7 ( *******)
Nose: 7 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6.5
*** Important Note with respect to Rating.
If the Final score is around 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.
Good but the Alcohol is very strong
Conclusion:
The GlenAllachie Distillery is quite new and was founded only in 1967. It is located on a hill above Aberlour, close to Ben Rinnes. It closed from 1987 to 1989 when it was purchased by Pernod Ricard who in turn sold it to The GlenAllachie Distillers Company in 2017. Most of the Spirit disappeared in Blends like Clan Campbell, House of Lords, White Heather & Chivas Regal until 2018. At that time a core range was launched by the new owners that currently includes the 10 Years CS, the 12, 15, 18, 21 CS and 30 CS. The annual production currently amounts to around 1 million litres.
This is not an easy Single Malt to review. It's certainly not a Mainstream Whisky. In fact I'm glad I bought a sample because a full bottle would be a bit too much. The Cask influence is quite strong and so is the Alcohol. You need to add Water to enjoy this GlenAllachie although in doing so you will lose some of the Flavors and Aromas. In any case this is a Whisky to enjoy occasionally. Certainly not a day-to-day dram.
Cheers! 🥃
Jan van den Ende December 25, 2025
I would like to wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2026!
🎄
