Glendronach 14 Years Old (Marsala Finish)

A 14 year old Glendronach, a distillery bottling, at 46%, 1646 bottles in all. Glendronach is a Highland single malt, long a blending malt and now a sherry led name in its own right. It was mothballed in 1996 and lay silent until production resumed in 2002.

Run slowly off the spirit still, for a weighty make built to take active Spanish oak. It was matured in ex-Bourbon oak and finished in a Marsala cask, a layer of Marsala over the bourbon vanilla. In integration coconut and vanilla knit with the malt, the orchard notes deepening to sultana, date and chocolate. Active first fill sherry wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt. The wood frames the spirit without ever stripping the full Highland body. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate. The full bodied spirit takes active wood well, carrying its dark sugars through the years.

Bottled at 46%, it is rounded and full. A rich orchard sweetness and dark sugar, with a raisined, herbal sweetness from the cask. It is full and fruity, the spirit carrying the cask. The finish is rounded, dark and spiced. This is a deep, sherried Highland single malt.