Quick Fire Whisky Tasting Notes

GlenAllachie 2000

19 Year Old Single Cask

The Whisky World Exclusive

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

52.5% ABV

Nose: Feisty and fabulous waves of sherry steeped sultanas, tinned prunes, grilled pineapple rings and foam bananas. Followed by notes of homemade custard brimmed full of Madagascan vanilla seeds, warm treacle tart, chocolate covered coffee beans, mixed spice, polished oak, aniseed twists, Pears soap and wood spice.

Palate: Tenacious tea-soaked prunes, blackberry crumble, Frank Coopers original Oxford marmalade, Cadbury Bournville Old Jamaica chocolate and Lyle's Black Treacle. Followed by sugared almonds, pineapple cubes, aniseed twists, Werther's Original soft caramels, espresso coffee, mixed spice, sweet oak and something rather satisfyingly dry and vinous.

Finish: A long sweet, spiced and all things nice kind of a finish!

Summary: Yet another cranked up to the top half of the dramspankometer release from the mighty GlenAllachie. Love the palatable interplay by the notes on the more bitter side, which wade through the sweetness to deliver an overall beautifully balanced drop of sippage.

104th Whisky Insiders Interview - Leonard Russell

Company:
Ian Macleod Distillers

Job:
Managing Director

Website:
ianmacleod.com



How long have you been working in the whisky industry?
I’ve been in the whisky industry since 1985. First at Scottish & Newcastle in NPD working on Castaway wine cooler, then at Saccone & Speed and IDV as Research manager, New Brand Development. I joined IMD, now the home of brands including Glengoyne and Tamdhu, in 1989.

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?
My biggest highlight has to be doing deals to revive the Rosebank distillery. It was beginning to crumble after being closed and neglected since 1993. It’s going to cost a lot to reinstate, but as my father says, if you’re going to do something then do it properly.

Rebuilding works have had to be suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic, but we’re looking forward to resuming the rebuild whenever we can.I am extremely excited and honoured to be able to undertake this project to revive the “King of the Lowlands”. Luckily we have a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable team who I trust implicitly to do the best possible job.

Can you remember your first dram, and indeed what it was?
My first dram was Maxwell blend, created by my father in the ‘60’s. I tried it again recently: it’s an old style characterful blend.

What does whisky mean to you?
Whisky is my life! It’s a miraculous industry which creates an outstanding, complex and delicious product just using water, barley, yeast, wood and time. I’m 3rd generation and custodian of the business for future generations. I love the whisky industry and know very many of the characters within it. In general, we are a friendly and helpful industry to each other. I have the best job in the world!

Where would you like to see yourself in five years’ time?
I’m very excited about where we will be in five years’ time, because Rosebank distillery will have been renovated and should be merrily distilling away!

There is still a long way to go before we manage to revive Rosebank as we need to rebuild major parts of the distillery (which is already underway) plus we also need to use the original plans of the distillery to replace the distillation equipment on a like-for-like basis i.e. using wooden washbacks, triple distillation and worm tub condensers. It is in fact excruciatingly exciting for me. Plus, the new Edinburgh gin distillery should be built and operating out of the Arches on Market Street next to Waverley Station.

The future looks even more exciting than the past. Tourism is a large and growing sector of the Scottish economy and we are planning to be at the forefront of it, by engaging with our customers in an interesting and engaging way.

What was your last dram?
It was a Glengoyne 25 Year Old, on a Facebook live tasting hosted by Distilleries Manager Robbie Hughes and Brand Ambassador Gordon Dundas. It’s natural colour, 48% ABV, unchillfiltered and 100% matured in olorosso sherry casks. Fabulous depth and lots of interesting smells and flavours especially Christmas cake!

Do you have a favourite whisky and food pairing combination?
It would have to be oysters prepared with a few drops of Glengoyne 18 Year Old, by Tom Lewis of Monnachle Mhor. Outrageously fab!

What’s your favourite time and place to enjoy a dram?
I enjoy a dram most with friends, colleagues and customers who enjoy whisky. As a rule, I try to only employ people and work with customers who I would enjoy having lunch with. It means I end up working with great people who’s company I enjoy which in turn means great lunches/dinners! It’s maybe a slightly selfish strategy but it seems to work! The time and place is immaterial.

What do you think is going to be the next big thing on the whisky horizon?
I think a few distilleries may change hands over the next year. I’m not saying which ones as it’s just theoretical in my mind. Misleading “sherry edition” “sherry influenced” style claims will hopefully be fixed. Japanese whisky may create more regulation over the transparency of their labelling.

What’s the one dram you couldn’t live without?
I could live without any specific whisky. There’s a vast array of fabulous whiskies out there to try!

Many thanks to Leonard Russell. Who will be our next Whisky Insider? Click back soon to find out!

Character of Islay Whisky Company Tweet Tasting

Continuing our teeming throng of industry leading Twitter trending Tweet Tastings, were absolutely delighted to announce that on July 8th, we’ll be teaming up with our friends at The Character of Islay Whisky Company, to pour and explore four phenol-menal drops of dramspankage.

On the night we’ll be sharing, sipping and savouring their Green Isle Blended Scotch Whisky (with Islay at it's heart), Aerolite Lyndsay 10 Year Old Single Malt, Grace Île 25 Year Old Single Malt and Fiona Macleod 33 Year Old Single Malt bottlings.

If you fancy taking part in what promises to be an epic night filled with pleasurable peaty protrusions, click here to register your interest by emailing your name, address, phone number, date of birth and Twitter handle. Please remember to mark the subject line of your email: #CharacterOfIslayWhisky

The closing date to register is June 25th, and if you are registering to take part please make sure that you will actually be free on the night!

Even if you're not one of the selected Tweet Tasters, it'd be great to have you following the evening’s dramfotainment. So we look forward to seeing you over on Twitter on July 8th from 7pm BST via #CharacterOfIslayWhisky

If you’re just too dram eager (and we can’t blame you) to get hold of one of The Character of Islay Whisky Company tasting sets, you can order your very own via Master of Malt for £29.99 by clicking here

Registrations open to over 21's only!

For more info on The Character of Islay Whisky Company, visit: characterofislay.com

@TheWhiskyWire

@IslayWhiskyCo

#CharacterOfIslayWhisky

Be part of the Dramfotainment!

Quick Fire Whisky Tasting Notes

Glen Moray Madeira Cask Project

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

46.3% ABV

Nose: Vibrant and vivacious waves of tinned peaches in syrup, spiced poached pears, Madeira steeped sultanas and the filling from a hot McDonald’s apple pie. Followed by notes of gulab jamun (Indian dessert), plum jam, orange zest, Tunes cherry lozenges, bread pudding, mixed spice, sweet oak and tiny teases of Quality Street mint matchmakers.

Palate: A homemade fruit salad frenzy of freshly sliced pears, mandarins, peaches, pineapple, white grapes and cherries, with a good drizzling of spiced honey. Along with Madeira steeped sultanas, freshly baked Baklava, a shot of espresso coffee, mixed spice, pimento seeds, aniseed twists, wood spice and more of those Quality Street mint matchmakers.

Finish: A fully rounded, long, lingering finish, that perfectly summarises this superb sensory story!

Summary: Another big bang for buck belter, from what we feel is still one of the most underrated distilleries in Scotland. This latest release from Glen Moray, as per all their releases, magnificently highlights the quality of their spirit, cask management and all the skill and passion of the team that help to bring the final product to life!