Allt-a-Bhainne was constructed in 1975 by the Canadian company Seagram. It has had several periods of closure during the last 40 years, but now whisky is in high demand, Chivas Brothers have the facility operating at full production. Originally designed to be operated by few, possibly even a single person, all the production equipment is in a single room. Allt-a-Bhainne is rarely used in the production of single malts and has not released an official bottling to date.
There are somethings which just don’t go together – oil and water, pineapple and pizza, toasters and bathtubs. The same is arguably true of whisky – not everything can and should work. And whilst it’s often admirable that producers try to push the envelope both of what’s possible, and of what’s expected, there’s a danger that when a product becomes so wrapped up in a desire to be ‘different’ that it can lose the very heart of what made that liquid unique in the first place. Whisky cannot and doesn’t need to be everything to all people. But, sadly that alone doesn’t stop producers trying to push square pegs in to round holes nevertheless
Over to Allt-a-Bhainne for a well-aged example that’s been matured in an ex-bourbon hogshead for 23 years and bottled at 51.3% ABV. Given the distillery and its current lack of widespread fan, this one clocks in a good price for its age - £123 from The Whisky Exchange.
We’re steadily seeing more peated output from Allt-a-Bhainne – and barring the risible recently released OB, I’m pretty excited about that. This example, a mere 7 years of age and drawn from the 2nd fill ex-bourbon barrel.
Peated Allt-a-Bhainne is increasingly becoming a ‘thing’ and it’s rapidly moving onto my radar. This bottling – exclusive to offers – has spent 7 years in a 2nd fill ex-bourbon barrel.
The recent, and somewhat unexpected, flurry of peated Allt-a-Bhainne continues with this 7 year old bottling that’s been matured in a 2nd fill ex-bourbon barrel.
Only the ninth SMWS Allt-a-Bhainne surfaces having been distilled on the 11th March 2009. The whisky spent its entire life in 1st fill ex-Bourbon barrel. One of 227 bottles. Juicy Oak and Vanilla flavour profile.
An Allt-a-Bhainne from February of 2007 that’s spent 10 years in a 2nd fill ex-bourbon barrel. Young and Spritely profile.
Ending our March 2022 coverage with a peated Allt-a-Bhainne. Clocking in at 59.4% this one has been matured in a 2nd fill ex-bourbon barrel for 10 years.
The 11th Society bottling of Allt-a-Bhainne, distilled in July of 2006 and matured for 11 years in a 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel. Sweet, Fruity & Mellow profile.
Door number 15 offers us the slightly uncommon sight of Allt-a-Bhainne in the form of Boutique-y’s 22yo, no onto batch 3. Bottled at exactly 49% and with a label with lots of cows and a river of milk. It’s all in the name I guess.
I have a great deal of time for www.whiskybroker.co.uk. I’m regularly in touch with them to source liquid to bottle and label for the monthly whisky club I run. Whiskybroker are gradually building up quite the warehouse of gems up in Creetown, and regularly release interesting single malts, single grains and indeed rums.