Glendronach 31 Years Old Cask #Batch 3

Glendronach from the distillery, a 31 year old, cask Batch 3, at 45.8%, 1109 bottles in all. Glendronach is a rich Highland malt from the Valley of Forgue, near Huntly. It ferments in Oregon pine washbacks over long fermentations for a full, fruity spirit.

Run slowly off the spirit still, giving a deep, full bodied Highland spirit. It was fully matured in an Oloroso cask, the wood deep in the rich spirit. Ethereal and fragile, the decades draw it to a resinous, waxy depth of dried fruit, treacle and old oak. Active first fill sherry wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt. Maturation runs slow and even in the traditional dunnage warehouses on the Forgue site. 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.

Bottled at a cask strength 45.8%, it is deep and concentrated. Orange, raisin and a treacle edge, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A baked apple and a warm cinnamon lift the middle. A long finish carries raisin, chocolate and a treacle. This is a richly sherried Highland single malt.