Origin: Highlands (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Gradation: 46%
Ageing casks: Ex-Sherry Oloroso
Chillfiltered: No
Added coloring: No
Owner: Brown Forman Corporation (BenRiach)
Average price: € 115.00
Official website: www.glendronachdistillery.com
Vote: 82/100
Another bottling from GlenDronach’s core portfolio, dedicated to the distillery’s founder, James Allardice (who I don’t think was 18 at the time).
Edition born in 2009, a year after the change of ownership, would its namesake have liked it? Let’s see how I like it…
Tasting notes
Garnet in the glass.
The nose is warm and welcoming, inviting you to drink it when the temperatures are colder outside. Cherry tart, sultanas in alcohol, prunes and dried dates, candied orange, cinnamon, caramel, chocolate. Lemon peel breaks up the sweet bombast, at times a little excessive, together with a herbaceous background that struggles to emerge.
The palate is actually quite fresh, with the alcohol pushing the spices (a touch of cloves) and tingling in the mouth, while red fruits and hazelnuts compete for the podium along with fruit tart, candied fruit and more chocolate. Less full-bodied than expected, with a hint of bitterness in the background that breaks up the aromas.
The finish is quite long and astringent, of hazelnuts, prunes, cinnamon and cocoa powder.
Only three years younger than the Parliament and yet so far removed from its balance and elegance, with the influence of the barrel being more messy and dry and the intrusiveness of the tannins debasing the whole. Pity.
Reviews of GlenDronach whisky in the blog:
GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 7
GlenDronach Original 12yo
GlenDronach Parliament 21yo
GlenDronach Peated
GlenDronach The Hielan’ 8yo
Other perspectives:
The Whiskey Jug