Glendronach 12 Years Old 2005

A distillery release of Glendronach, a 12 year old, from 2005, cask 1444, at 57.3%. Glendronach is a Highland single malt, long a blending malt and now a sherry led name in its own right. Its water is the Dronac Burn, which also gave the distillery its name.

The spirit was worked unhurried through the stillhouse, for a weighty make built to take active Spanish oak. It was matured in an Oloroso sherry puncheon, the wood working deep into the malt. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin rounding out as esters lend riper orchard fruit and a chocolate depth. The wood frames the spirit without ever stripping the full Highland body. The full bodied spirit takes active wood well, carrying its dark sugars through the years. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate. Active first fill sherry wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt.

At a natural 57.3% it is full and rich. A rich orchard sweetness and dark sugar, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A dark chocolate and a soft oak give it weight. The finish runs long, full and warming. This is a deep, sherried Highland single malt.