Billy Walker marks anniversary with whisky series
Acclaimed whisky maker Billy Walker is celebrating his 50-year tenure in the Scotch industry with a limited edition series of GlenAllachie single malts.
To mark the impressive milestone, Walker is releasing a celebratory collection of GlenAllachie single malts: The Past, Present & Future Series. Reflecting on his career, Walker said: “I’m incredibly lucky to have been involved in the fascinating Scotch whisky industry for 50 long years. What a privilege it has been to have worked alongside some truly amazing people, and indeed to have been involved with some world-leading brands. “Of course, there are some great memories and I truly take pride in many of the achievements that our teams have achieved over the past half-century. “The latest adventure is The GlenAllachie Distillery, and without question, we are so very fortunate to be steering this great distillery into the future, introducing its whisky to an ardent international audience.” The first instalment in the limited edition series is The GlenAllachie Billy Walker 50th Anniversary Past Edition. The whisky was unveiled today (17 May) as a fully Sherry matured 16-year-old Single Malt. This bottling represents Walker’s past when he made a name for himself by releasing heavily Sherried expressions to great acclaim, with many Scotch fans believing he played an instrumental role in developing this style category. Walker personally selected and combined nine 2005 vintage Spanish Sherry butts, and the resulting liquid ‘exudes opulence and indulgence’ with layers of dark chocolate and glazed fig, alongside a banana bread and espresso coffee character. Said to be “the archetypal Billy Walker style”, the 4,000 bottles are presented at a cask strength of 57.1% ABV, natural colour and non-chill-filtered. Walker has been at the helm of The GlenAllachie for almost five years, having previously led an expansive career across numerous household name brands and companies, including Ballantine’s, Deanston, Tobermory, BenRiach, GlenDronach, and Glenglassaugh. Business partner Trisha Savage commented: “Working alongside Billy for 35 years has been a total pleasure. I can honestly say I’ve never come across anyone with his level of drive, dedication and passion for Scotch whisky. “His focus has always been to achieve ‘perfection’; only using the highest quality of wood and monitoring the spirit every step of the way. Nothing leaves the cask until it’s deemed to be exceptional. “I would personally like to congratulate Billy on his 50th anniversary year. You’re a true industry legend, and I was lucky enough to share the journey with you for 35 incredible years.” The GlenAllachie Billy Walker 50th Anniversary Past Edition is available to purchase through global specialist retailers for an RRP of £255 (US $318.10). In April, The GlenAllachie added two core whiskies to its portfolio: an eight-year-old and a 15-year-old.
