Glendronach 12 Years Old 2003 Cask #1823

Glendronach from the distillery, a 12 year old, from 2003, cask 1823, at 54.9%, 651 bottles in all. Glendronach is a Highland single malt, revived from 2008 by Billy Walker's BenRiach company. It was mothballed in 1996 and lay silent until production resumed in 2002. By 1862 it had grown into the largest duty paying distillery in the Highlands.

Worked unhurried through the stillhouse, for a weighty make built to take active Spanish oak. Maturation came in a Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheon, layered over the full Glendronach make. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin rounding out as esters lend riper orchard fruit and a chocolate depth. Active first fill sherry wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time. The casks are picked closely, the wood matched to the rich Glendronach make.

At a natural 54.9% it is full and rich. A rich, sherried sweetness, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. Beneath it run dried fruit, dark sugar and a warm spice. A deep finish ends on dried fruit and a dark chocolate. This is a deep, sherried Highland single malt.