Glendronach 13 Years Old 2003 Cask #5490

A distillery release of Glendronach, a 13 year old, from 2003, cask 5490, at 55.3%, 660 bottles in all. Glendronach is a rich Highland malt from the Valley of Forgue, near Huntly. 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. Its water is the Dronac Burn, which also gave the distillery its name. It passed to Brown Forman, owner of Jack Daniel's, in 2016 as part of a 285 million pound deal.

The spirit was run slowly off the spirit still, for a weighty make built to take active Spanish oak. It was matured in an Oloroso sherry butt, the wood working deep into the malt. In integration coconut and vanilla knit with the malt, the orchard notes deepening to sultana, date and chocolate. Active first fill sherry wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt.

At a hearty 55.3% it carries real weight. Baked apple, honey and a dark chocolate, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Beneath it run dried fruit, dark sugar and a warm spice. The finish runs long, full and warming. This is a rich Highland malt of dried fruit and chocolate.