Glenallachie 10 Cask Strength
Batch 12 | 59.7% ABV
Score: 7/10
Very Good Indeed.
TL;DR
A bold, cask strength whisky highlighting the best of this distillery
Tree Therapy
In the remote wilderness of Northwestern California stretches a tract of redwood trees known as the “World’s Tallest Forest.”
Fully nestled within a fog-shrouded alluvial flat between the Bull Creek and the Eel River, this primordial, 800 acre testament to nature’s majesty is called the Rockefeller Forest. So named for the patron who purchased the virgin groves in the 1920’s, saving them from aggressive logging efforts.
A paradox given that the man, John D. Rockefeller Jr, was the only son of American Gilded Age-era robber-baron John Rockefeller - whose oil empire helped power the timber boom that within a century reduced 4,000 square miles of old-growth redwoods to stumps and mud.
Those preserved stand untouched by blade or machine and contain an ecosystem full of complexity, symbiosis, and wonder. 130 trees over 351 feet tall, as astonishing as they are immense. Thousands of years of flooding left layers of lush, fertile soil. A wet climate, ample coastal fog, and a bark that’s impervious to rot or fire, created ideal conditions for these majestic trees to grow unhindered since the Jurassic Age. To be among these giants is to feel a connection to nature in its oldest form. A place truly lost to time. One-of-one on Earth.
I’m fortunate to frequent this hallowed place.
One of my great personal joys are long forest hikes. All-weather too. I love a rainy winter walk with the sounds and smells of fresh rain and the dry summer aromas of bright sunshine on trees. In my non-whisky-related personal life I consider myself an outdoorsman and have tromped hundreds of miles in countless parks and wilderness. Including the last preserved old-growth redwood trails dotted throughout Northern California, now protected in parks a fraction of the once mighty forest that stretched unbroken for millions of acres.
Treading nearly all the old-growth redwood trails left in just a few short years is a painful reminder of what is and what was. But this isn’t about the tragedy of deforestation or America’s industrial conquest of the continent. This is about redemption, restoration of the soul, and (eventually) whisky. Trees give us so much and we take so much from them.
“Tree therapy” was a healing factor for me during a recent divorce. I spent hours upon hours getting lost in quiet repose among the world’s tallest trees. I give credit to these titans for teaching me gratitude and resilience in the face of trauma and grief. Peace delivered by long walks, fresh air, and the humbling realization of being but one small instrument in the grand design of life.
Many of these trails are like a second home to me. I’ve memorized the trees that line the path, I know the color of the moss that grows in their bark and the best time to see dappled sunlight filtering through the tallest boughs and branches. How the undergrowth and colors of the glens vary from season to season. Where to avoid roots and standing water during the wet season. The best place to listen to rain on branches, the call of birds high-up and unseen, and the ever-steady babble of nearby creeks, singing their song of time immemorial. One wonderful thing about the woods - there’s always something new or rewarding to be found, even after repeated visits.
I was on a trail, without cell service mind you, when I was notified my offer was accepted on what would soon be my house. What I consider the crowning achievement of my adult life. And sharing these trails with friends and family is another custom that brings great satisfaction.
Tree therapy wasn’t a quick fix either. One walk in the woods won’t rehabilitate wounds that deep. Divorce is one of life’s most shameful and scarring experiences. I went through two pairs of shoes and months became years before I finally felt that time and nature had worked to deliver some relief. Hundreds of miles walked among trees born while Europe was in its dark age.
Of all the trails I keep coming back to the Rockefeller Forest, named on a map since the 1950’s, but formerly the ancestral home to numerous indigenous groups. It’s a quick loop, but the density of this ancient alluvial flood plain stands out among the many awe-inspiring places.
On a recent walk in the Rockefeller Forest, I got to thinking about whisky - as one does when the mind wanders. A comparison popped into my brain: similarly how “tree therapy” took time and care to allow for healing, so too does it take time, care, and patience to allow for the properties of oak to turn a naked, brutal spirit into the delightful “Water of Life” we collectively enjoy. Whisky is tree therapy served in a glass.
Really, trees do it all.
The Glenallachie Distillery owes a similar debt to trees. Their recent acclaim is mostly owed to the magic performed with maturation of whisky in oak. Blending immense skill and attention to the science and craft of cask management. Many of their best releases often feature multiple finishes or various casks expertly blended together.
The Glenallachie 12yo was a whisky I really enjoyed recently that opened up the door toward more sherried whiskies and I like the “Sinteis Series” special releases very much.
Review
Glenallachie 10yo Cask Strength, Batch 12, matured in PX, oloroso, virgin oak and red wine casks, 59.7% ABV
USD$79 paid (£60) wide availability
Score: 7/10
Very Good Indeed.
TL;DR
A bold, cask strength whisky highlighting the best of this distillery
Nose
Intense but inviting. Quite pleasant. Like other Glenallachie the cask combination creates a tapestry of layers artfully blended. Very savory at first but then polished wood, maple syrup, brown sugar and molasses. Cinnamon roll cream cheese frosting. Wallet leather. Baked apple pie. Cedarwood chips. Cocoa powder. Hints of tree bark and wood spice. Dark cherries. Figs. Raisins. Water brings more sugary sweetness. Ghirardelli Chocolate. Thin mints. Coffee beans. Plums. Honeycomb cereal. Blackberries. Grape fruitiness in the back with some red-wine-dryness. Wow.
Palate
Bold and powerful. Very sweet. Spicy, sticky, thick and mouth coating. Punchy. Very hot on initial arrival, but opens up nicely with time and water, tempering the intensity and bringing back those layered complexities. Leathery. Oily. Dusty dark chocolate. More syrup and raisins. Black pepper. Butterscotch. Red fruits. Maraschino cherries. There’s delectable dessert notes on the finish and some maltiness sends us off. Strawberry cheesecake. Chocolate donut with custard. Long and full, fruity red-wine sweetness again.
The Dregs
A well-blended, creatively layered whisky with a classic but cranked up Glenallachie profile. The four casks work well together and it’s a cohesive dram with all pieces supporting the whole.
If you like a good sherry bomb or seek out high-ABV Glenallachie then this is a whisky for you. I believe Glenallachie shines best at higher proof and similarly I enjoy the “Sinteis Series” Scottish Virgin Oak and PX/Chinquapin. For roughly $79 US this bottle is competitively priced against other high ABV whiskies of this age and in my opinion better than their 15yo or 18yo core releases which are often over $100 and $130 respectively in the US.
To me a good Glenallachie is like a walk in the woods, pleasant and rewarding, and there’s always something new to be found with each visit.
Score: 7/10
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