Glendronach 19 Years Old 1995 (Vintage Bottling)

This official Glendronach, a 19 year old, from 1995, at 55.8%, 2000 bottles in all. Glendronach is a Highland single malt, founded in 1826 near Huntly in Aberdeenshire. The distillery was an early champion of sherry cask maturation, its malt charming Edinburgh society from the start.

Worked unhurried through the stillhouse, for the rich, sherried make Glendronach is known for. It was matured in a Pedro Ximenez cask, the wood working deep into the malt. Through oxidative maturity the esters concentrate, the orchard notes turning to raisin, fig and a dark chocolate. The full bodied spirit takes active wood well, carrying its dark sugars through the years. Active first fill sherry wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit.

At 55.8%, undiluted, it is dark and full. A rich orchard sweetness and dark sugar, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. Beneath it run dried fruit, dark sugar and a warm spice. The close is rich and dark, fruit over a warm spice. This is a richly sherried Highland single malt.