The GlenAllachie takes sherry maturation to another level with this whiskyrelease
NewsFriday, 12 June 2026 at 09:51
In Scotland, The GlenAllachie has expanded its Masters of Wood Series with a new whisky that is nearly 20 years old. The release focuses on rare casks with a profound sherry influence.
The new Masters of Wood whisky from The GlenAllachie comes from some of the most exceptional casks in the distillery’s inventory. For this expression, ex-solera casks were selected that previously held 55-year-old Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry.
Billy Walker, master distiller at the distillery, explains that the rarity of these casks makes the whisky even more special.
'These are casks that carried more than half a century of sherry history before they ever came into contact with our spirit. You're working with time, memory and a structure that has quietly evolved over decades.'- Billy Walker
We also spoke with the master distiller in an exclusive interview. In it, he discusses, among other things, how he got his very first whisky.
What is The GlenAllachie 19-Year-Old Ex-Solera Sherry Cask Matured whisky?
The new Masters of Wood whisky was developed around some of the most exceptional casks in The GlenAllachie’s warehouses. For this second release in the series, Walker selected these remarkable casks, which are rarely made available by the bodegas.
As a result, the casks were able to build up layers of sherry character over decades, developing notes of dried fruit, spices, chocolate and nutty depth. That character has now been transferred to The GlenAllachie’s Speyside single malt.
The spirit was initially matured in American ex-bourbon casks before receiving a secondary maturation in the rare ex-solera sherry casks. The combination delivers notes of vanilla, caramel and honey alongside rich PX sweetness and the drier, spicier influence of Oloroso sherry.
What are the tasting notes of The GlenAllachie 19 Year Old?
- Nose: Plums, intense notes of mocha and honeycomb. Followed by caramel snaps, molasses and rich cocoa.
- Palate: Notes of plum syrup, treacle and warm heather honey, followed by black cherries, mocha and orchard fruits, with crystallised cinnamon and ginger.
- Finish: Long, rich and velvety, with dark sherry notes, spices, cocoa and lingering honey sweetness.
The whisky is bottled at 50% alcohol by volume (ABV).
Where can you buy The GlenAllachie 19-Year-Old Ex-Solera Sherry Cask Matured whisky?
The new GlenAllachie whisky is not yet widely available. The whisky can currently be purchased through The GlenAllachie Distillery and online, with a recommended retail price of £224.99. Wider availability through specialist retailers is expected to follow.
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LATEST COMMENTS
- There is no distillery equipment there and also no licences to produce or sell alcohol.TRC19-12-2025
- Hi Yvonne, Thank you for your response and for sharing the video. Unfortunately, the evidence you referred to consists only of two people talking about the whisky, without any explanation or identification. We have not spoken to the individuals in the video ourselves, nor can we verify who they are. We describe it as a Chinese whisky because it is released by a Chinese distillery. As you mentioned, the distillery has chosen to label the product as “pure malt” instead of “Chinese whisky.” Based on that, we do not believe they are doing anything illegal.M0nkey16-11-2025
- So - you have the proof......where's your write up?Yvonne16-11-2025
- You are absolutely right. Luckily that doesn't matter for the taste of the whisky. Have you tried it yet?M0nkey05-11-2025
- Guess what? Finland is not part of Scandinavia.Gray105-11-2025
- Throw in the towel? You mean restructure to compete and win in a challenging industry environment.WestwardFounder21-10-2025
- There is nothing legally to prevent the English whisky GI from coming into force, it complies with all the relevant laws and the single malt definition follows the precedent of Welsh whisky and US whiskyChefBear15-10-2025
- Three emails sent (two with videos, linked to a Google Drive Share). 1. The original video. 2. The video with subtitles as it was shared on YouTube 3. Screen grab of the YouTube channel where the video was blocked due to Pernod Ricard lobbying. The story was covered on Drinks Intel at the time - link here - https://drinks-intel.com/subscriber-news/pernod-ricards-the-chuan-pure-malt-whisky-not-sourced-solely-from-china-global-drinks-intel-exclusive/Yvonne10-10-2025
- Hi Yvonne, Thank you for your interesting comment. Could you share your copy with us, so we can adjust our item accordingly? Mail us at [email protected]. Thank you in advance.M0nkey09-10-2025
- Let's keep this factually correct. Pernod Ricard DID NOT release a Chinese whisky. Their first output from The Chuan (the name of the distillery in Sichuan, China) wasn't fit for bottling. What they actually bottled was imported Scotch whisky. This is why the product is called "PURE MALT" and not "Chinese Whisky" - because Pure Malt is not a regulated term - this is not a secret. This was exposed about a week after they released it. There were even videos about their own staff on site admitting it was made from imported whisky - which Pernod Ricard got the lawyers onto to get the video pulled. I've got a copy if you want it.Yvonne09-10-2025
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