Glendronach 26 Years Old 1993 Cask #6584

A distillery release of Glendronach, a 26 year old, from 1993, cask 6584, at 52.5%, 700 bottles in all. Glendronach is a Highland single malt, founded in 1826 near Huntly in Aberdeenshire. It was bought in 2008 by Billy Walker's BenRiach company, who rebuilt it as a heavily sherried single malt. It joined William Teacher and Sons in 1960 and became a core malt of the Teacher's blend. It was the last distillery in Scotland to fire its stills with coal, converting to steam only in 2005.

It was distilled in copper pot stills, building a deep malt of dried fruit and dark sugar. Maturation came in a Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheon, layered over the full Glendronach make. Through the evaporative decades the esters fold into raisin, fig, beeswax and a bittersweet chocolate. Active first fill sherry wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt. Maturation runs slow and even in the traditional dunnage warehouses on the Forgue site.

At a hearty 52.5% it carries real weight. A rich orchard sweetness and dark sugar, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. It is full and fruity, the spirit carrying the cask. Dried fruit, spice and a soft oak see it out. This is a richly sherried Highland single malt.