Glenallachie 9 Year Old 2004 The Whisky Mercenary for Maltlovers

Glenallachie is another one of those unknown distilleries in whiskyland, for the simple reason that there are hardly any official bottlings. This Speysider, founded only in 1967, produces quasi exclusively for the parent company’s blends, i.e. Chivas Brothers. This independent bottling from the Whisky Mercenary was launched by the Belgian whisky club Maltlovers.

The nose immediately makes me think of candy. A combination of toffee sweets that stick to your teeth on the one hand and purple violets – sticking just as hard – on the other hand. Loads of caramel too. A truckload of aniseed, hinting at salty liquorice. Yes, this is a liquid candy shop. Some Golden Delicious apples and some overripe apricots. A floral touch. Heathery flowers? All in all rather simple, but pleasant for one with a sweet tooth.

The arrival is soft, honeysweet and mildly sour. The fruit from the nose returns, but a lot of citrus has been added. Oranges? No, it is grapefruit. Candied no less. Again a box full of toffee sweets. Boy, this is really candy-like, my teeth almost drop out of my mouth.

The finish is not very long, remains honeysweet, but offers some spices at the death in the guise pepper and nutmeg.

Fun whisky to sip in the sun, without overthinking it. Drinker’s whisky. Or card player’s whisky. Dangerously easy, but for lovers of all things sweet. Was 68 EUR, but is now completely sold out.

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