Whisky : Glenallachie 14 Year 2004; Shinanoya Cask Selection

Country/Region : Scotland/Speyside

ABV : 57.7%

Cask : PX Sherry Puncheon

Age : 14 Year (Distilled 8 Oct. 2004, Bottled April 2019)

Nose : Starburst fruit candies, fruit punch, and pungent lime leaves.  Absolutely bursting with tangy tropical fruit notes: lilikoi/passionfruit curd, guava candies, and pineapple pastries.  Beyond the fruit were floral garden and tea notes.

Palate :  Medium bodied with loads of tangy sweet punch.  Bold sweet fruits come through with a kiss of salt: fruit preserves, ripe berries, and concord grape jelly.  On the mid palate notes of tea leaf and cinnamon sticks popped in before a slightly dry finish with marzipan and almond flour pastries.

Finish :  Lingering fruits with a hint of vanilla and refined sugar.

Score : 7

Mental Image : Starburst Fruit Salad

Notes : An absolutely wonderful Glenallachie with a bright fruity profile that flirted with malty and herbal notes.  This had a wonderful nose chock full of tropical fruits and candies that recalled the coveted tropical fruit variety of Starburst candies.  I am not sure I could stomach a pack of those anymore, but as I child I happily gorged on all of the sugar I could— always saving the pink for last.

Sometimes Glenallachie can be overly sweet and too saccharine for my taste, but this one was well composed.  There was a great balance to the sweet profile and enough complexity that this did not feel overly one note or too dominated by the sweet PX cask.  Overall this was a delicious and well balanced dram.