Glendronach 28 Years Old 1989

A distillery release of Glendronach, a 28 year old, from 1989, cask 5476, at 49.9%, 546 bottles in all. Glendronach is a rich Highland malt from the Valley of Forgue, near Huntly. It was bought in 2008 by Billy Walker's BenRiach company, who rebuilt it as a heavily sherried single malt.

It was distilled to a rich, generous cut, 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. In the oxidative, evaporative years the spirit concentrates to dried fruit, dark chocolate and a waxy, resinous depth. The casks are picked closely, the wood matched to the rich Glendronach make. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit. Years in oak deepen the spirit to a darker gold, the body growing rounder and more resinous with time.

At its natural 49.9% it is rich and chewy. A rich orchard sweetness and dark sugar, with raisin, date and treacle from the cask. The mouthfeel is full and coating, the fruit dark and sweet. A long finish carries raisin, chocolate and a treacle. This is a deep, sherried Highland single malt.