Glendronach 23 Years Old 1990

A 23 year old Glendronach, a distillery bottling, from 1990, cask 1243, at 50.6%, 679 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 passed to Brown Forman, owner of Jack Daniel's, in 2016 as part of a 285 million pound deal. It was mothballed in 1996 and lay silent until production resumed in 2002.

Run slowly off the spirit still, for a weighty, full spirit the sherry casks then deepen. It was matured in a Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheon, the wood working deep into the malt. In the oxidative, evaporative years the spirit concentrates to dried fruit, dark chocolate and a waxy, resinous depth. The full spirit deepens with time, the cask drawing out its darker register. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit.

At its natural 50.6% it is rich and chewy. A rich, sherried sweetness, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. It is full and fruity, the spirit carrying the cask. A deep finish ends on dried fruit and a dark chocolate. This is a full bodied Highland single malt of real richness.