Glendronach 20 Years Old 1993 Cask #16

A distillery release of Glendronach, a 20 year old, from 1993, cask 16, at 54.7%, 669 bottles in all. Glendronach is a rich Highland malt from the Valley of Forgue, near Huntly. It was mothballed in 1996 and lay silent until production resumed in 2002. Its water is the Dronac Burn, which also gave the distillery its name.

The spirit was drawn from a thick, heavy wash, for the rich, sherried make Glendronach is known for. It was fully matured in an Oloroso sherry butt, the wood deep in the rich spirit. 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.

At a hearty 54.7% it carries real weight. Orange, raisin and a treacle edge, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. The body is full and rich, the fruit deep and dark. A deep finish ends on dried fruit and a dark chocolate. This is a full bodied Highland single malt of real richness.