Glendronach 18 Years Old Cask #Lot 1

This official Glendronach, an 18 year old, cask Lot 1, at 46%, 6600 bottles in all. Glendronach is a richly sherried Highland single malt from the Valley of Forgue, built on full bodied spirit and Spanish oak. It was mothballed in 1996 and lay silent until production resumed in 2002. It passed to Brown Forman, owner of Jack Daniel's, in 2016 as part of a 285 million pound deal.

The spirit was distilled to a rich, generous cut, for a weighty make built to take active Spanish oak. Maturation came in an Oloroso cask, layered over the full Glendronach make. At oxidative maturity aldehydes lend a nutty edge while ellagitannins draw a drying, structured grip across the fruit. 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. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time.

Bottled at 46%, it is rounded and full. Raisin, chocolate and a warm spice, 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 dark, fruity Highland single malt.