Allt-a-Bhainne 2000 Cask Strength Collection New Vibrations 23 yo

 

 

 

51,9°

Distillery : Allt-a-Bhainne - Speyside

1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

This is the third bottling among the 4 specially selected by La Maison du Whisky to be part of the Collection New Vibrations, which will therefore be distributed exclusively in France. This is an Allt-a-Bhainne, a little-known Speyside distillery, because it is recent and mainly devoted to blends. It was aged entirely in a first-fill Oloroso Sherry Butt, and 689 bottles were released. Some of Allt-a-Bhainne's production is slightly peaty, between 10 and 20 ppm, but this one was not reported to me as such, and I did not find any peat in it.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is very rich and really fermented, syrupy, morello cherries and amarena, blackcurrants, damsons, raspberries, dried grapes and candied figs, damp leather, prunes, earthy hints. Slightly full of iodine. On the palate, on the other hand, it's a little smooth, a dash of liquorice, mushrooms and caramelised cooked fruits, but not much else, until the spices kick in, quite violently. The finish is long and strong, with fudge, chocolate, brown tobacco, truffle flakes, apricot jam, ginger and cardamom.

 

In Short, 

This is a very well-made Sherry. However, I was a little disappointed with the palate, which I found a bit insignificant after a very intense nose. Overall, it's more or less a Sherry monster, very intense, where the distillate is discreet. The price is high, but it's on special offer these days, and that's becoming decent.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           Mike Morgan & The Crawl - Cold Wind