LeeEvolved
Allt a Bhainne 1993 22 Year (The Exclusive Malts)
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed
March 26, 2018 (edited May 20, 2018)
I’m finally able to get back into these last few samples from our group’s last round of trades. I’ve been sidelined by bronchitis and a touch of the flu for the last 8-10 days. This particular sample is my third supplied to the group as a part of our 5th of 7 rounds and is from the Allt-a-Bhainne distillery (pronounced ault ah van ya). It is a Speyside distillery whose malt is primarily used in Chivas blends. Having had a few Chivas in my day- I can definitely pick up of the bread and roasted nuts that provide the backbone for their blends here in this 22yo single cask that was bottled by The Creative Whisky Company. It’s from their Exclusive Malts line, is cask strength at 50.7% ABV, and is natural in color and isn’t chill filtered. It’s a beautiful, champagne gold in the taster and although being pretty oily- it doesn’t produce many legs- while leaving behind plenty of watery droplets after a spin.
The nose is all nuts and cereals with a nice layer of toffee and vanilla. There’s hints of sherry cask, even though I don’t think they were used here. It’s a deep and rich sweetness that’s very inviting.
The palate is spot on with the nose: honey, nuts and fresh baked breads dominate the profile and even though it’s pretty hot- it’s well rounded and smooth. The long slumber in oak has really worked its magic here. I think this is the whisky’s saving grace, too. This has been a very easy drinking bottle ever since I’ve opened it.
The finish is long and warming. More bread notes linger and it even finishes more oily than dry. A heavier than expected nutty aftertaste actually left me craving some Honey Nut Cheerios cereal and a glass of cold milk.
Overall, I gotta give this one a full 4 stars. It’s delicious and smooth and a heck of a deal ($109) for a well-aged, cask strength IB. If I wasn’t so obsessed with trying new things I believe I’d seek out another bottle. As is, I wouldn’t mind trying more from Allt-a-Bhainne- specifically a distillery bottling (if one exists). Cheers.
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Hey @LeeEvolved - do you remember where you picked this up please? I've started documenting via spreadsheet. =)