Glendronach 24 Years Old 1990

A distillery release of Glendronach, a 24 year old, from 1990, cask 1020, at 53.8%, 606 bottles in all. Glendronach is a Highland single malt, long a blending malt and now a sherry led name in its own right. Its water is the Dronac Burn, which also gave the distillery its name. It was mothballed in 1996 and lay silent until production resumed in 2002.

The spirit was distilled in copper pot stills, shaping a rich Highland body with real weight. It was fully matured in a Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheon, the wood deep in the rich spirit. Through the evaporative decades the esters fold into raisin, fig, beeswax and a bittersweet chocolate. The full bodied spirit takes active wood well, carrying its dark sugars through the years. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time.

At 53.8%, undiluted, it is dark and full. Baked apple, honey and a dark chocolate, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. Dried fruit and a treacle sit behind the spice. Dried fruit, spice and a soft oak see it out. This is a dark, fruity Highland single malt.