Everybody loves a comeback story. I know, I know- Glenallachie never really left. But, once master distiller Billy Walker bought the obscure, Highland distillery it sure feels like a comeback. When he sold his stake in BenRiach and GlenDronach to become the sole owner of Glenallachie a lot of people took notice. Including me. If you love GlenDronach and BenRiach, well you just know you’re going to love his new project. I mean, the guy is a legend. So, here we are in late 2017 and Mr Walker takes over and begins scouring the vast supply of single malt in Glenallachie’s warehouses. Rumor has it that he selected all of the casks to be used for the relaunch of the brand. He blended multiple casks of 10, 12, 18 and 25 year old stock to make these core offerings. The inaugural bottles of all 4 age statements were bottled on two consecutive days in the summer of 2018 and released with new labeling and packaging. These are all considered what he thought were the best casks at each age. He bottled the 10 year as cask strength and the others at 46%, including this 12 year old. Even though there is no official labeling stating these as Batch 1, it’s commonly accepted that these were when they hit the market in the fall of 2018. I found a 3cl pour of this online because I wanted to try a pour without having to open any bottles from the inaugural release (yes, I bought them all and stashed them away- just in case). This 12yo is rich gold in color and is pretty oily while leaving behind medium drops and no legs on the sides of the Glencairn. The nose is very reminiscent of GlenDronach: very spicy and warm. There’s red berries and damp oak propping it up from the start because it took me awhile to coax the sherry cask notes out of it. I ended up letting this one sit over half an hour and must’ve spun and nosed it a dozen times. I don’t know why it’s so shy. The palate bursts forward with tropical fruits, banana bread and oak tannins. The sherry cask provides a great backbone and creates a mouthwatering initial sip. There’s wonderful heat from the elevated ABV and the fruitiness just clings to every corner of your mouth. Excellent mouth feel here, almost unrelenting, and I love it. The finish is somewhat short and drying, but I did notice the sugary fruit lingering on for some time. I think it really applies more to the mouth coat from the palate and less of an aftertaste. Overall, this thing was surprisingly good. I’d have to say the rumors must be true as the casks chosen here really do make a great first impression. I only hope Glenallachie can continue to deliver the goods and Billy can keep this blend consistent. The bottle cost me $48 and I feel like that’s a steal for what you’re getting with the initial release. I’m curious how the cask strength 10’s are and I am actively looking for a pour to find out. That said, this one is easily a 4 star dram, with a boost for price point and creating excitement from such an obscure distillery. If Mr Walker can do for Glenallachie what he did at GlenDronach and BenRiach, well we are in for some delicious juice. Seek this one out, my friends. Cheers.