Glendronach 18 Years Old 1993

An 18 year old Glendronach, a distillery bottling, from 1993, cask 1607, at 56.1%, 606 bottles in all. Glendronach is a rich Highland malt from the Valley of Forgue, near Huntly. Its water is the Dronac Burn, which also gave the distillery its name.

The spirit was distilled to a rich, generous cut, for the rich, sherried make Glendronach is known for. It was matured in an Oloroso sherry butt, the wood working deep into the malt. Into oxidative maturity, slow air builds ripe esters and a darker chocolate, fig and date depth. The wood frames the spirit without ever stripping the full Highland body. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit. The full spirit deepens with time, the cask drawing out its darker register. The full bodied spirit takes active wood well, carrying its dark sugars through the years.

Bottled at a cask strength 56.1%, it is deep and concentrated. Raisin, chocolate and a warm spice, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. The mouthfeel is full and coating, the fruit dark and sweet. It finishes long, full and fruity. This is a full bodied Highland single malt of real richness.