Glendronach 11 Years Old 2003 Cask #2545

This official Glendronach, an 11 year old, from 2003, cask 2545, at 56.6%, 305 bottles in all. Glendronach is a Highland single malt whose founder was an early champion of sherry cask maturation. It was bought in 2008 by Billy Walker's BenRiach company, who rebuilt it as a heavily sherried single malt. It was the last distillery in Scotland to fire its stills with coal, converting to steam only in 2005. It passed to Brown Forman, owner of Jack Daniel's, in 2016 as part of a 285 million pound deal.

Worked unhurried through the stillhouse, building a deep malt of dried fruit and dark sugar. It was fully matured in a Sauternes cask, the wood deep in the rich spirit. By the integrating teens the raw notes fade and esters build, the rich spirit growing rounder and darker. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit.

Bottled at a cask strength 56.6%, it is deep and concentrated. Raisin, chocolate and a warm spice, with honeyed apricot and a candied citrus from the cask. A dark chocolate and a soft oak give it weight. The finish runs long, full and warming. This is a rich Highland malt of dried fruit and chocolate.