Glendronach 10 Years Old 2012

Glendronach from the distillery, a 10 year old, from 2012, cask 914, at 61%. Glendronach is a richly sherried Highland single malt from the Valley of Forgue, built on full bodied spirit and Spanish oak. Its whisky is now overseen by the master blender Dr Rachel Barrie. It was mothballed in 1996 and lay silent until production resumed in 2002.

It was distilled to a rich, generous cut, for a weighty make built to take active Spanish oak. It was fully matured in an Oloroso cask, the wood deep in the rich spirit. 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 full spirit deepens with time, the cask drawing out its darker register.

At a hearty 61% it carries real weight. A deep, dark sweetness, 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 Glendronach's deep, fruity Highland style.