Glendronach 15 Years Old (100% Matured in Sherry Casks)

Glendronach from the distillery, a 15 year old, at 40%. Glendronach is a Highland single malt whose founder was an early champion of sherry cask maturation. It was bought in 2008 by Billy Walker's BenRiach company, who rebuilt it as a heavily sherried single malt. It was bought in 1920 by Charles Grant, a son of the founder of Glenfiddich.

The spirit was run slowly off the spirit still, for a weighty make built to take active Spanish oak. Maturation came in an Oloroso cask, layered over the full Glendronach make. Into oxidative maturity, slow air builds ripe esters and a darker chocolate, fig and date depth. The full spirit deepens with time, the cask drawing out its darker register. Active first fill sherry wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt. The wood frames the spirit without ever stripping the full Highland body.

At 40% it is rich, fruity and deep. Orange, raisin and a treacle edge, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Fig, honey and a dark chocolate fill the middle. A long finish carries raisin, chocolate and a treacle. This is a full bodied Highland single malt of real richness.