Saturday, 25 November 2023

Allt-a-Bhainne 2005 Connoisseurs Choice Cask Strength 17 yo

 
 
 
60,6°
Distillery : Allt-a-Bhainne - Speyside
Refill American Hogshead
Independent Bottling 
By Gordon & MacPhail 
Limited Edition 
Single Cask 
Bottled in 2023
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength
Totally Unpeated 



A new distillery for me to discover, and in ideal conditions, as it's through independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail, reputed to be one of the greatest, established since 1895, and it's terrible news to know that they're going to stop independent trading in the next few years. Also, the cask used here is a single Refill Hogshead of American oak, so the distillery's character won't be disturbed by foreign flavours. I'll be able to discover its personality. This edition produced 310 bottles.




Let's Taste It : 
A slice of lemon, cake pastry, lemon tart, meringue, shortbread biscuits, mountain honey, a drop of Worcestershire sauce, very light acidity. Candied ginger. Exotic fruits in the background. On the palate, vanilla stands out, vanilla custard, pastry cream, yellow plums, kumquats, coarse cereals, muesli. Discreet spices, like a pleasant tingle. A zest of lemon. Well-crafted, long, biscuity finish, diluted in goat's milk. It's pastry to the end, still lemony and vanilla-flavoured.

In Short, 
Finally, the cask has a noticeable influence, but I'm not complaining. It's very pastry-like, with lots of lemon and vanilla; the distillate must be very light for the cask to take over in this way. In any case, it's a very fine bottling, which will delight fans of this kind of profile. It can still be found here and there at a price that is in line with the current market, which is to say expensive but not unaffordable.
Score : 89
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                           To Be Listened While Sippinfg :
 
                                           Karina - Nada es Para Siempre

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