Glendronach 21 Years Old 1992 Cask #270

A 21 year old Glendronach, a distillery bottling, from 1992, cask 270, at 56%, 648 bottles in all. Glendronach is a Highland single malt whose founder was an early champion of sherry cask maturation. Its water is the Dronac Burn, which also gave the distillery its name. It was the last distillery in Scotland to fire its stills with coal, converting to steam only in 2005.

It was run slowly off the spirit still, building a deep malt of dried fruit and dark sugar. 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. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time. The full spirit deepens with time, the cask drawing out its darker register. The casks are picked closely, the wood matched to the rich Glendronach make.

At its natural 56% it is rich and chewy. A rich orchard sweetness and dark sugar, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. Dried fruit and a treacle sit behind the spice. It finishes long, full and fruity. This is a full bodied Highland single malt of real richness.