Glendronach 27 Years Old 1991

Glendronach from the distillery, a 27 year old, from 1991, cask 8024, at 50.8%, 611 bottles in all. Glendronach is a Highland single malt, founded in 1826 near Huntly in Aberdeenshire. Its water is the Dronac Burn, which also gave the distillery its name. It was bought in 2008 by Billy Walker's BenRiach company, who rebuilt it as a heavily sherried single malt.

Drawn from a thick, heavy wash, for a weighty make built to take active Spanish oak. 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 casks are picked closely, the wood matched to the rich Glendronach make. The full bodied spirit takes active wood well, carrying its dark sugars through the years. Active first fill sherry wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt.

At 50.8%, 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 close is rich and dark, fruit over a warm spice. This is Glendronach's deep, fruity Highland style.