The GlenAllachie 13 Year Madeira Wood Finish Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 750ml

The GlenAllachie 13 Year Madeira Wood Finish is a limited Wood Finish series release from the GlenAllachie Distillery in Aberlour, Speyside, established in 1967 and now under the stewardship of legendary Master Distiller Billy Walker, the man behind the modern revival of BenRiach, GlenDronach, and Glenglassaugh before he acquired GlenAllachie outright in 2017 alongside his partners. Where the GlenAllachie core range leans heavily on sherry cask maturation, the Wood Finish series explores how different wine and cask types interact with the distillery's mature Speyside spirit. This Madeira Wood Finish is drawn from Batch 3 of the Wood Finish series, with the whisky matured for over eleven years in American oak barrels before being expertly transferred into hand selected Madeira barriques, which previously held wine made from Malvasia grapes, one of the richer noble varieties of Madeira. Bottled at 48% ABV with no added coloring and non chill filtered, the result is a richly layered Speyside single malt with tropical fruit, almond, vanilla, and treacle character that lifts the classic GlenAllachie profile in a genuinely distinctive direction. A worthy addition to the cabinets of cask exploration fans and Billy Walker devotees alike.

ABV / Proof

Tasting Notes

Color: Orange gold with rich amber highlights from the Madeira cask influence.

Nose: Waves of vanilla, apricots, and plantains, layered with almonds, peaches, pineapple, creamy almond croissant, tropical fruit, and a whisper of marzipan.

Palate: Vanilla, treacle, juicy apricots and peaches, almonds, grapefruit, pineapple, tangy spice, and a soft splash of zest. More delicate and softer than typical sherry forward GlenAllachie releases, with the Madeira sweetness shining through.

Finish: Long and warming, with lingering tropical fruit sweetness, almond, gentle spice, and soft oak.

FAQ

Who is Billy Walker? Billy Walker is one of the most respected figures in modern Scotch whisky, having led the resurrection of BenRiach (acquired 2004), GlenDronach (acquired 2008), and Glenglassaugh before selling those three distilleries to Brown Forman in 2016. In 2017 he acquired GlenAllachie outright with partners and has spent the years since releasing critically acclaimed sherry cask matured single malts and innovative wood finish series releases. He is widely regarded as one of the best Master Distillers active today.

What is Madeira cask finishing? Madeira is a fortified wine from the Portuguese island of the same name, made from grapes including Malvasia (the richest noble variety), Bual, Verdelho, and Sercial. Casks that previously held Madeira impart concentrated tropical fruit, honey, almond, and gentle wine sweetness during finishing. Madeira casks are notably less common than sherry, port, or red wine casks in scotch finishing, making this expression a particularly distinctive entry in the Wood Finish series.

What is the GlenAllachie Wood Finish Series? An ongoing series of limited batch releases that explore different finishing cask types beyond the distillery's sherry forward core range. The series rotates through different wood types and cask provenances each batch, with this Madeira Wood Finish drawn from Batch 3. Each batch is limited, non chill filtered, and bottled at 48% ABV (with separate cask strength editions also released at higher proof for serious cask explorers).

Where can I buy GlenAllachie 13 Year Madeira Wood Finish online? Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.