A Scot on Scotch

WHISKY REVIEWS, NEWS, HISTORY & FOLKLORE

Glenallachie, meet Fib

Fib Whisky is an independent bottler with an interesting approach to releasing single-cask Scotch. Rather than bottling one batch at a time, Fib splits the contents of each cask into two, bottling the first half as it comes and re-racking the other half for additional maturation in a secondary cask. In this review, I’ll be sampling two whiskies from Glenallachie Distillery that went through this unusual process.

Even though it was established in 1967, Glenallachie feels like a new kid on the block. I think that’s because it spent most of its life quietly producing spirit for various blended Scotch brands. It wasn’t until the Billy Walker-led takeover in 2018 that the name “arrived” on the single malt scene but the years since have seen the distillery’s malt become one of the most beloved Speyside whiskies on the market.

The drams featured in this review are part of Fib’s Series II. The whisky was initially matured in a first-fill oloroso sherry butt for 15 years. Half of the butt was bottled at 62.6% abv for the Copper & Oak range while the other half was transferred to a Palo Cortado sherry cask for a further three months before being bottled in the Permutations series.

*Full disclosure: the whiskies featured in this review were sent to me free of charge. As always, I will strive to give an honest opinion on the quality of the dram and the value for money it represents.

Fib Glenallachie Copper & Oak

The whisky has been aged for 15 years in a first-fill oloroso sherry butt. It’s bottled at 62.6%.

Tasting notes: Lots of sherry on the nose (as you’d expect!). Dried fruits like raisins and sultanas and new leather. Tobacco. Cherry. Dark chocolate. Treacle and oak. The palate starts in a similar area with raisins and figs and dark chocolate. Black pepper and a touch of aniseed. Lots of old oak. Especially towards the back and into the finish.

Thoughts: The nose is classic sherry bomb material and you don’t pick up any prickle on the nostrils despite that impressive ABV of 62.6%. Although, I’m not sure that’s such a good thing because the heat really hits the palate and a bit of warning might have been beneficial! There’s a heaviness to the spirit that I enjoyed and the dram will no doubt tick a lot of boxes for fans of heavily sherried whisky but I found myself looking in vain for a bit more. A splash of water brought out a nice touch of orange liqueur and toned down some of the heat but I couldn’t quite get passed the sensation that the vast majority of what I was tasting was oak.

Price: £105. Might look expensive when compared to the official 15-year-old release but it’s worth remembering that this is a single cask (at cask strength, no less). A quick Google search found comparable releases around the £135 mark. That suggests Fib are doing OK with their pricing here. Sadly, still not for me.

Fib Glenallachie Permutations

The same liquid as the Copper & Oak bottling with an additional three months spent in a Palo Cortado cask.

Tasting notes: The nose is nuttier than the previous dram. I get walnuts and almonds before some tobacco leaves and nutmeg. Cloves, too. Terry’s Chocolate Orange. Charcoal. Oak. Cherry and maple syrup. There’s a meaty note that made me think of beef brisket. On the palate: Once again, the oak dominates with lots of wood and spice. On the first encounter, it felt too much for my palate. Subsequent sips improved and, especially after water was added, I found bright, red fruits and honey. It even takes on some thick, buttered rum vibes.

Thoughts: My initial impression was of a dram that had been dominated by sherry oak but with water and patience it started to shine. For me, it’s the more pleasant, the more interesting of the two drams. I couldn’t find a sweet spot with the Copper & Oak, I did with this. Admittedly I had to put a fair splash of water in but I found myself really enjoying the dram. Good stuff if you can find a few gaps in the big, old sherry blanket.

Price: £111. As mentioned above, the price compares quite favourably to similar indie bottles though I’m still not sure I liked it enough to go for it. If you’re struggling to pick between the two, however, it’s the Permutations for me.

---

For more on Fib Whisky visit here

---

Subscribe to A Scot on Scotch

---

Donate to A Scot on Scotch

---