Glendronach 41 Years Old 1971

Glendronach from the distillery, a 41 year old, from 1971, cask 1247, at 47.9%, 529 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. The distillery was an early champion of sherry cask maturation, its malt charming Edinburgh society from the start. Its whisky is now overseen by the master blender Dr Rachel Barrie.

It was drawn from a thick, heavy wash, for a weighty make built to take active Spanish oak. It was matured in a Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheon, the wood working deep into the malt. Ethereal and fragile, the decades draw it to a resinous, waxy depth of dried fruit, treacle and old oak. The full bodied spirit takes active wood well, carrying its dark sugars through the years. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit.

At a hearty 47.9% it carries real weight. Fig, walnut and a bittersweet chocolate, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. It is full and fruity, the spirit carrying the cask. A long finish carries raisin, chocolate and a treacle. This is Glendronach's deep, fruity Highland style.