Glendronach 19 Years Old 1995 Cask #79

This official Glendronach, a 19 year old, from 1995, cask 79, at 54.4%, 602 bottles in all. Glendronach is a rich Highland malt from the Valley of Forgue, near Huntly. Its water is the Dronac Burn, which also gave the distillery its name. It passed to Brown Forman, owner of Jack Daniel's, in 2016 as part of a 285 million pound deal. It was bought in 2008 by Billy Walker's BenRiach company, who rebuilt it as a heavily sherried single malt. It was mothballed in 1996 and lay silent until production resumed in 2002.

Distilled in copper pot stills, for a weighty make built to take active Spanish oak. An Oloroso sherry puncheon held it, drawing the rich spirit on over the years. Through oxidative maturity the esters concentrate, the orchard notes turning to raisin, fig and a dark chocolate. The full spirit deepens with time, the cask drawing out its darker register.

At a hearty 54.4% it carries real weight. A rich, sherried sweetness, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. The mouthfeel is full and coating, the fruit dark and sweet. It finishes long, full and fruity. This is the sherry led malt of Forgue.