Glendronach 23 Years Old 1993 Cask #29

A 23 year old Glendronach, a distillery bottling, from 1993, cask 29, at 52.3%, 671 bottles in all. Glendronach is a rich Highland malt from the Valley of Forgue, near Huntly. By 1862 it had grown into the largest duty paying distillery in the Highlands. Its whisky is now overseen by the master blender Dr Rachel Barrie. It passed to Brown Forman, owner of Jack Daniel's, in 2016 as part of a 285 million pound deal.

It was distilled to a rich, generous cut, shaping a rich Highland body with real weight. It was matured in a Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheon, the wood working deep into the malt. Through the evaporative decades the esters fold into raisin, fig, beeswax and a bittersweet chocolate. The wood frames the spirit without ever stripping the full Highland body. 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.

At 52.3%, undiluted, it is dark and full. A deep, dark sweetness, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. It is full and fruity, the spirit carrying the cask. The finish runs long, full and warming. This is a rich Highland malt of dried fruit and chocolate.