Glendronach 12 Years Old 2003 Cask #930

A distillery release of Glendronach, a 12 year old, from 2003, cask 930, at 53.4%, 722 bottles in all. Glendronach is a Highland single malt, revived from 2008 by Billy Walker's BenRiach company. It passed to Brown Forman, owner of Jack Daniel's, in 2016 as part of a 285 million pound deal. It was the last distillery in Scotland to fire its stills with coal, converting to steam only in 2005.

Worked unhurried through the stillhouse, shaping a rich Highland body with real weight. Ex-Bourbon matured, it was given a finish in a Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheon for a final sweetness. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin rounding out as esters lend riper orchard fruit and a chocolate depth. Maturation runs slow and even in the traditional dunnage warehouses on the Forgue site. Active first fill sherry wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt.

Bottled at a cask strength 53.4%, it is deep and concentrated. Baked apple, honey and a dark chocolate, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. Beneath it run dried fruit, dark sugar and a warm spice. The finish is rounded, dark and spiced. This is a Highland single malt of real standing.