Review: GlenAllachie Palo Cortado Sherry Cask Finish 11 Years Old

The fourth release in GlenAllachie‘s Sherry Series recently arrived, and it’s an unusual one: This single malt is finished in Palo Cortado casks, which are virtually unheard of in whisky production. Palo Cortado begins as pale Fino sherry that is refortified to about 35 proof, which kills the flor yeast and promotes the oxidation of the wine. GlenAllachie describes the resulting flavor as sitting “between Amontillado and Oloroso, combining the aromatic finesse of the former with the structure, body and richness of the latter.”

The whisky carries an 11 year old age statement but there’s no detail on the length of the sherry finishing. Initial maturation takes place in standard ex-bourbon barrels.

Let’s give it a try.

GlenAllachie Palo Cortado Sherry Cask Finish 11 Years Old Review

The intense nuttiness of the Palo Cortado is on immediate display here, and in the glass it comes across as far more intense than any Amontillado (or Amontillado-finished whiskey) I’ve sampled in my career. Gently mushroomy, with a hint of oxidized red wine visible, the nose adds an intensely savory quality to the proceedings, notes of green beans and spring onion lying faint in the distance, serving to amplify the brooding earthiness that dominates.

The palate melds that nutty, pastoral, savory quality with some of the cereal sweetness you expect from a younger single malt. Chewy and grainy, these are two sides of a coin, driven first by toasted almond and walnut elements, then a note of gently honeyed sesame cake. The sweetness is never extreme, but it’s enough to keep the whisky alive — and from falling victim to what could otherwise take things too far into fields. Flashes of citrus evoke thoughts of Oloroso, if fleetingly.

The finish is short to moderate in length and quite sharp, reprising its nutty attack before perking up with some mocha elements and, at last, a healthy pinch of baking spice. This alone is enough to elevate the whisky into a new territory that emerges as the best part of the experience — gently spicy but with enough gravitas to keep things from spiraling into overt sweetness. I polished off my (significant) sample before I knew it. Solidly priced, too.

96 proof.

A- / $84

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