Glendronach 25 Years Old 1993 Cask #5976

Glendronach from the distillery, a 25 year old, from 1993, cask 5976, at 55.6%, 835 bottles in all. Glendronach is a deep, dark Highland malt of dried fruit, chocolate and spice. It passed to Brown Forman, owner of Jack Daniel's, in 2016 as part of a 285 million pound deal. The distillery was an early champion of sherry cask maturation, its malt charming Edinburgh society from the start.

It was run slowly off the spirit still, shaping a rich Highland body with real weight. It was matured in a Port pipe, 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. Active first fill sherry wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt. The casks are picked closely, the wood matched to the rich Glendronach make. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate.

Bottled at a cask strength 55.6%, it is deep and concentrated. A rich orchard sweetness and dark sugar, with red berry, plum and a dry spice from the cask. A dark chocolate and a soft oak give it weight. It finishes long, full and fruity. This is a full bodied Highland single malt of real richness.