Glendronach 21 Years Old

Glendronach from the distillery, a 21 year old, at 48%. Glendronach is a Highland single malt, long a blending malt and now a sherry led name in its own right. It was bought in 2008 by Billy Walker's BenRiach company, who rebuilt it as a heavily sherried single malt.

It was worked unhurried through the stillhouse, building a deep malt of dried fruit and dark sugar. It was matured in Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks, the woods working into the full spirit. Through oxidative maturity the esters concentrate, the orchard notes turning to raisin, fig and a dark chocolate. Maturation runs slow and even in the traditional dunnage warehouses on the Forgue site. 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. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time.

At its natural 48% it is rich and chewy. A deep, dark sweetness, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. Fig, honey and a dark chocolate fill the middle. A long finish carries raisin, chocolate and a treacle. This is Glendronach's deep, fruity Highland style.