GlenAllachie – Tyndrum Whisky Trilogy Review

Trilogy Part 1: 2006, 14yr, Oloroso Puncheon, Cask #675, 61.0%

Trilogy Part 2: 2006, 14yr, Oloroso Puncheon, Cask #671, 61%

Trilogy Part 3: 2006, 14yr, Oloroso Puncheon, Cask #678, 60.8%

I can finally finish this review that was started back in September 2020. It could only be completed once the final bottle in the trilogy was released in January 2021. Legend has it, Billy Walker took a personal interest in choosing these casks for the trilogy. Actually, it’s not legend at all as it says this on Tyndrum’s website. But it’s great to know that these were a personal, extra special selection.

Trilogy bottle Part 1: 2006 / 14yr / Oloroso Puncheon / Cask #675 / 61.0%

(released Sept 2020)

Appearance: Dark polished Walnut. Long & thin oily legs.

Nose: Straight off the bat, there’s runny caramel sauce with sour stone fruits. It also presents a whiff of yeasty bread dough before the dominance of sherry hits you in the face.

Palate: Sweetness appears immediately that then gradually transforms to a dryness on the tongue. There’s a light pepper tingling followed by cake spice-infused custard. A sourness and a crisp burnt sugar bite are also there.

Finish: Long and sweet. A gentle peppered-tingle moves around the sides and back of the tongue with a pleasant oiliness.

Trilogy bottle Part 2: 2006 / 14yr / Oloroso Puncheon / Cask #671 / 61%

(released Oct 2020)

Appearance: Dark polished Walnut. Long & thin oily legs.

Nose: Sweet baked apples and sour cherries greet the nose with background notes of dark chocolate and peanut brittle. It’s all backed-up with a little dryness. But like the first bottle, the sherry is huge and comes through knocking everything aside like a determined prop forward.

Palate: Initial sherry-sweetness followed by some woody-dryness. The oaky tannins support a little pepper heat. It’s big and active in the mouth, and is like eating a boozy fruitcake with some cracked pepper.

Finish: Long, with sweetness giving way to a drying peppery warmth.

Trilogy bottle Part 3: 2006 / 14yr / Oloroso Puncheon / Cask #678 / 60.8%

(released Jan 2021)

Appearance: Dark polished Walnut. Long & thin oily legs.

Nose: Deep sherry and rich chocolate sauce fly out of the glass. Fruit compote followed by moist & gooey Jamaican ginger cake appear. And just as the alarms for diabetes start flashing, aromatic maple syrup appears. Right at the back there is a faint thick waxen note.

Palate: Dark, rich sweetness that just ramps up after every second on the tongue. Beautiful. Now there are some floral woody notes, raisins, toffee, and more dark fruit. This whisky seems slightly softer with more viscosity than the other 2.

Finish: Long. The sweetness stays throughout. A gentle warming dryness lingers with notes of raisins and fruit‘n’nut chocolate.

Overall conclusion of the three bottles…

This was a fun review to do. And having to wait nearly 5 months to complete the puzzle made the whole thing even more intriguing as it was a staggered release.

All three whiskies are almost the same age, from the same cask-type, and very similar ABV’s. But the little nuances that come out of each one is absolutely fascinating and continues to astound me how wood can affect the spirit.

It was really close, but one cask really did it for me, so my personal order of preference is:

1st Place - Trilogy bottle Part 3: Cask #678

2nd Place - Trilogy bottle Part 1: Cask #675

3rd Place - Trilogy bottle Part 2: Cask #671

And it wouldn’t be a Sean review without a twonkish graph. But it does show up the nuances quite nicely.