Glendronach 41 Years Old 1972

Glendronach from the distillery, a 41 year old, from 1972, cask 702, at 51.7%, 448 bottles in all. Glendronach is a Highland single malt, founded in 1826 near Huntly in Aberdeenshire. It joined William Teacher and Sons in 1960 and became a core malt of the Teacher's blend. It was bought in 1920 by Charles Grant, a son of the founder of Glenfiddich. The distillery was an early champion of sherry cask maturation, its malt charming Edinburgh society from the start.

The spirit was taken gently through wash and spirit stills, for the rich, sherried make Glendronach is known for. Maturation came in an Oloroso sherry butt, layered over the full Glendronach make. In its ethereal years the malt turns waxy and oxidative, faded esters and a whisper of sotolon over dark fruit. The full bodied spirit takes active wood well, carrying its dark sugars through the years.

Bottled at a cask strength 51.7%, it is deep and concentrated. A rich, sherried sweetness, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. The body is full and rich, the fruit deep and dark. The close is rich and dark, fruit over a warm spice. This is a rich Highland malt of dried fruit and chocolate.